Bishop remembers wartime evacuees at London thanksgiving mass

The Bishop of Gibraltar, Monsignor Charles Azzopardi, celebrated a mass of thanksgiving in Our Lady of Dolours Servite Church on Fulham Road in London on Sunday, remembering the Gibraltarians and their families who worshipped there after being evacuated from the Rock during World War II. 

The service was attended by many Gibraltarians resident or undergoing healthcare in London and by dignitaries including Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, and Government ministers Gemma Arias-Vasquez and Nigel Feetham, who are in London for the Gibraltar Day events. 

Assisting the Bishop was Bishop Emeritus Monsignor Ralph Heskett and the church’s priests, alongside young Gibraltarian students resident in the UK who also participated in the service, which was followed by a reception. 

This was the first mass coinciding with Gibraltar week since 2018 and Mgr Azzopardi expressed his hope that the service would once again become an annual fixture. 

During his homily, he thanked London, and other communities in the UK and beyond, who had offered refuge to Gibraltarians during their time of need, and to the UK for its support for Gibraltar over centuries. 

Mgr Azzopardi offered prayers too for people around the world who today were being forced to leave their homes to seek safety 

A day earlier, Mgr Azzopardi had participated in the Conference of Bishops of the Mediterranean, hearing from young people from different religions and walks of life about the problems and challenges they faced. 

He reflected on how Gibraltar’s multi-faith community lived in peace and harmony, and the importance of ensuring that endured into the future. 

Gallery by Johnny Bugeja: