Question 1: Bishop Patrick, how did you reach the point where you felt it was necessary to commission reviews both of the Finance and Property Offices and the Diocesan Education Service?

Bishop Patrick: As you know, I'm always popping in and out of parishes around the diocese. I have truly fallen in love with the Diocese and its people. Where else could I find such a varied and beautiful landscape stretching from the plains of the Fylde to hills and lakes of Cumbria? Where else could I find such a variety of wonderful people with such great faith?
I am always popping into one parish or another, and on these visits I hear so many comments from the people and the clergy alike. Over the months as I listened to them speak, I have become increasingly aware that some people were a bit suspicious or at least unsure as to what these various groups were doing, and how they were operating. I myself wanted to know more, and to make this worthwhile I decided the best thing would be to commission independent reviews. I wanted to know where we stood financially, before considering any long-term mission for the Diocese. I hope these reviews will give a greater transparency into the workings of all the diocesan offices; less suspicion, more understanding. All we do, we do in the service of the Gospel, in the service of God's people. We need to bring that message with us from the parish to the home, from home to the work place and bring it with great confidence.

Question 2: Why were the reviews so important if your aim was simply to encourage us to continue spreading the Gospel?

Bishop Patrick: Above all else, giving glory to God and working for His people under His Spirit is what matters, but without underlying funding our mission goes nowhere. Finances and resources are hugely important to help with the task of catechesis in schools and parishes, with youth work and so on, these structures must operate well if they are to support any work of mission, and so I wanted to secure what we had, to enable us to move forward with a more pastoral plan for the life and mission of the Church in the diocese as a whole.

Question 3: How has the Finance and Property review helped you in assessing where we are as a diocese, because it doesn't seem to have been a pastoral review in any way?

Bishop Patrick:Well, yes, it has helped. Let me say, first of all, we chose a highly professional team: A chartered accountant with vast experience in industry, a Quantity Surveyor who has worked on church property with other dioceses, the former Diocesan administrator - who was the only priest on the team - and a former director of an investment bank as chair. They spent six months interviewing some diocesan clergy, visiting another diocese and so making it a comprehensive review.
If we are to develop a long-term pastoral plan we must start by taking stock of what we have and where we are, and while at first this review may not appear to be pastoral, its very purpose was to establish a firm foundation on existing diocesan structures that would enable us to prepare for mission, this preparation will prove to be hugely important.

Question 4: It seems strange then, that if the review has a pastoral end, why was the Finance and Property review marked 'confidential'?

Bishop Patrick: The team stuck to its terms of reference as set out by the Bishop's Council (The Bishop and the two Vicars General). The professionals selected could determine the financial state of the diocese for us. It would have been inappropriate for them to cover pastoral issues since that is not their field, nor was it the reason I invited them to do this review. The concern of this review was how the Finance and Property offices functioned. The review was marked 'confidential' since it was an ongoing process and until all those involved in it had had time to consider it, it was better to mark it confidential. The Finance and Property review has thrown up some finance problems and these we are dealing with here and now. Once these difficulties are stabilised, then we will be in a better position to define a longer term pastoral planning.

Question 5: If this review is significant for a future diocesan plan, it would need to be accurate; otherwise a future plan would be built on something quite unsteady. Some people in the Diocese have asked is the financial information in the review accurate? Are you satisfied that the information in the review is accurate?

Bishop Patrick: All the financial information that's found in the review was collated from within the Diocese and was independently corroborated. So yes, I am satisfied that the information is indeed accurate.

Question 6: In that case, the reported £1m loss each year - made by the Central Administration of the Diocese over the last few years - could that not have been recovered by simply imposing a levy on parishes, rather than causing such stress for so many people by the review?

Bishop Patrick: Yes I agree, it has been a very stressful time for all of us all, and that I hope is now changing as we settle into new ways of working. The review gave us the good news that the parishes are managing very well; their income is greater than their expenditure. It also gave us the bad news that the Central Administration has been losing substantial amounts of money over recent years. If these losses are to be recovered by a levy, it would mean an enormous levy on all the parishes, and that in addition to the levies for School Buildings Fund and the Sick and Retired Priests' fund would be acceptable to no one. So a combination of a reduction in the costs of the Central Administration and a new Administration levy of 8% for the parishes would seem the best solution for us. We can do this because at the moment the existing levies for the School Buildings Fund and the Sick and retired Priests fund can be reduced temporarily and in this way the levies on parishes will not be increased.

Question 7: Thank you for that. Could we move to the Education review for a moment. You said the reviews were initiated as a result of your various visits to parishes and schools, who was responsible for this review and what was its purpose?

Bishop Patrick: For this we gathered a group of experienced people, both from primary and secondary schools, and from those involved in parish work and in catechetical programmes. Their brief was to look at the provision of educational services throughout the Diocese, in our schools and parishes. I am very concerned, as I have said so many times, about the Catholicity in the schools, and the need for it to be authentic if we hope to keep them going. This authentic Catholicity is the link which joins school and parish as one. Yes, from my conversations with people throughout the Diocese I was becoming increasingly concerned that a distance was emerging between the schools and parishes, and it is hugely important that there be unity here, looking at this was an important part of the Education Review teams brief.

Question 8: They have reported back to you, and in response to their findings you have appointed a priest to head the education team, were you dissatisfied with a lay person having such responsibility?

Bishop Patrick: Not at all, the lay people we employ do a wonderful work. As I've just mentioned the catechetical links between parishes and schools is so important. It this catechesis, together with a deepening understanding and celebration of faith which holds them together, this is essential for mission. Mission and outreach, these are absolutely necessary if we are to maintain an authentic Catholicity. I am very nervous of us losing this. Unless we all - Bishop, priests and deacons, catechists, teachers, governors and parents - unless we all work together, I fear for the future of our Catholic schools and ultimately for our parishes. We all have to work with the mind of the Church, for the good of Church. This is the reason I have appointed a priest to head up the education service, to strengthen these links and to develop and encourage their growth throughout the Diocese.

Question 9: You have spoken about schools and their links to the parishes, what do you see as the needs of the parishes in relation to adult education?

Bishop Patrick: I've recognised through this review that a primary need in the parishes is adult education. I am deeply committed to adult education; it is not just important it is absolutely essential to diocesan life. There is a tremendous thirst and deep yearning for knowledge of the scriptures and to know and understand the faith better, to know how use the catechism for example. All these things lead us to a deeper spiritual participation in the liturgy and a richer life of faith. To action this we need catechists in parish to engage adults' minds and hearts and as the pastor of the Diocese it's my duty to provide opportunities throughout the parishes whereby adults can access good quality catechesis. We must also continue and extend catechesis for children; it is the adults in the parishes who can do this.

Question 10: After all this upheaval are you any nearer to finding any long-term plan for the Mission of the Church in the Diocese of Lancaster?

Bishop Patrick: Well, we have already started to get our house in order. Both of these reviews have shown me how much extraordinary work is already being done; they have allowed me to appreciate how people throughout the diocese are working for the Gospel. I was not surprised but delighted to find out how much was being done. The way forward for us, is to build on this good work. We must engage the society and culture in which we live in new ways; this has to be the next step, the next challenge. If we are to make this challenge, we have to be on firm rock, this is why I needed to commission both these reviews: to see what we could do to strengthen existing provision throughout the diocese. We have to reach out more insistently than ever to the many marginalised and poor- following the thought of Mother Theresa we must help not only those physically on the edges of society but also those marginalised and poor in faith and spiritual life. This is the challenge I'm talking about. With prayer and the continued support and encouragement of one another, yes, I feel we are getting nearer to establishing a pastoral plan. Shortly, in a few months time, when things have begun to stabilise it will be easier to put on paper what our pastoral plan will be. In the meantime prayer is absolutely essential. All of us must pray under His Spirit for renewal of faith in Jesus and commitment to the Gospel message.