Archbishop Vincent Nichols celebrated Mass to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of St Peter’s Italian church in London on 29 April.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, Cardinal Renato Martino, Archbishop Antonio Mennini also gathered with over 40 priests, parishioners and guests.
In his homily Archbishop Nichols noted that the church had been built just two years after the founding of the Italian State; he then went onto reflect on the life of St Catherine of Siena upon whose feast day the Church was celebrating.
At the end of Mass the Archbishop read out a message of congratulations from Queen Elizabeth II to the Parish Priest, Fr Carmelo di Giovanni. Archbishop Mennini, the Apostolic Nuncio, read a message out from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone conveying Pope Francis’s best wishes.
