Borough’s Precious Blood RC church entrusted to former Anglicans

Just before Christmas parishioners learnt that the church in O'Meara Street would be entrusted to the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

The Ordinariate was established in 2011 to enable former Anglicans to join the Roman Catholic church whilst retaining some of their distinctive liturgical traditions.

Members of the Ordinariate in South London have been worshipping at the Church of the Precious Blood for nearly a year. Regular services include Anglican-style Evensong on Thursday evenings.

Last Sunday marked the end of the tenure of Fr Richard Mway Zeng SDS as parish priest and the Sunday morning Mass was followed by a farewell party to commemorate the end of the Salvatorians' 30-year association with the parish.

The new priest-in-charge is Fr Christopher Pearson, who until spring 2011 was the vicar of the Anglican parish of St Agnes Kennington Park.

Mgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, said: "We are very grateful to Archbishop Peter Smith and the diocesan authorities for making this possible.

"It represents a positive moment in the life of the Ordinariate, as we grow towards the establishment of our own parishes and communities."

• Mgr Keith Newton will preside and preach at the 11am Mass on Sunday 13 January

• The Church of the Precious Blood has a new website: www.preciousblood.org.uk