The Right Reverend Mervyn Alexander, Bishop of Clifton, has established a panel of enquiry to consider the claim made by some parishioners in at least three parishes in the diocese that their parishes have suffered harm through the presence and activities of the Neo Catechumenate.
The panel will be chaired by Mr Tom Millington, a member of the Lord Chancellor's Panel of Independent Inspectors. He will be assisted by Mrs Valerie James, a member of the Diocesan Trustees and a former National President of the Union of Catholic Mothers. The third member of the panel is the Very Reverend Fr Barnaby Dowling, Parish Priest and Catholic Dean of Wells. The panel also has access to a number of advisors.
After considering a number of different enquiry methods it was decided by the enquiry team to begin by asking any parishioners who wanted to take part in the enquiry to reply, in writing, to the following question: What has the Neo Catechumenate done for you and your parish?
People would be asked to send their replies addressed to the Enquiry Panel care of St Ambrose, North Road, Leigh Woods, Bristol, BS8 3PW.
Each of the three parishes would be looked at in turn, beginning with the parish of St Nicholas of Tolentino in Bristol. Anyone from this parish who wished to take part in the enquiry is asked to send their reply to the panel, care of St Ambrose, by 28 January.
The same process will then be followed in the Sacred Hearts parish, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, and in St Peter's parish, Gloucester. Once this process has been completed in all three parishes, and the written evidence considered, the enquiry panel would then hold public meetings in each of the three parishes.
While the team hope to hear especially from the members of the three parishes anyone is welcome to take part in the enquiry if they wish. A copy of this statement will be sent to all parishes in the diocese.
