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The Diocese of Chulucanas, Peru, with which our diocese has a strong connection, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

In 1982, Bishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor established the link with the Diocese of Chulucanas, which is in the north of Peru, sending priests from this diocese as a Fidei Donum (a gift of faith). Fr Jeremy Lear (d.1984) was followed by Fr Hugh Dutton, Fr Benny O’Shea, Fr Ian Byrnes, Fr Stuart Bell (d. 1995) and Fr Kevin Dring. Fr Hugh spent 38 years in the Diocese of Chulucanas, serving in parishes and in the diocesan seminary.

The Arundel & Brighton Diocesan Missionary Endeavour Collection was introduced to support these priests, though no Arundel & Brighton priests are currently serving in Peru, it continues to make an annual grant to the Diocese of Chulucanas.

Attendees will remember that the Bishop of Chulucanas, Bishop Dan Turley, joined Arundel & Brighton’s 50th anniversary celebrations at the Amex Stadium in 2015.

As part of their own celebrations, this week, people and clergy of the Diocese of Chulucanas prayed at the Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) in Chulucanas city, with Brother Claudio and Brother Cristobal, who are visiting from the Taizé community, in France. The Taizé community is an ecumenical community that seeks the unity of Christians and has a particular vocation to working with young adults.

This prayer was an opportunity to pray for Peru, for peace, for young people and to thank God for 60 years of walking together as a diocesan Church.

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To find out more about the Diocese of Chulucanas, click here and visit their website.

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Source: Diocese of Chulucanas Facebook page; Fr Hugh Dutton, Memories of Peru: 1981-2019, Diocese of Arundel & Brighton Ministry to Priests magazine, "Vinculum", October 2020.