Visit of the Papal Nuncio

Sunday 4th March 2007

Abbot Paul, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz and Archbishop Peter Smith in the Cloister

His Excellency , Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz made an official visit to the Archdiocese of Cardiff at the beginning of March. The Community were very pleased to welcome him and Archbishop Peter Smith to Midday Prayer and Lunch on Sunday 4th March, while our Oblates were with us on retreat. It was a very happy occasion, and his second visit to Belmont in his short time as Nuncio. Previously he had celebrated Mass with the Community a local congregation when he made an informal visit with Bishop Mark.

After lunch he went on to visit the Poor Clare Community at Much Birch and in the evening celebrated Mass at Cardiff University Catholic Chaplaincy.

Archbishop Faustino was appointed Apostolic Nuncio inDecember 2004. Originally from Almaden in Spain in 1937, after ordination as a priest he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1970 and served in the Pontifical Representations in Senegal and Scandinavia, and then worked in the Secretariat of State at the Vatican. He was appointed Apostolic Pro- Nuncio in Cuba in 1988 and four years later Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in Zaire. Until his appointment to the Court of St James Archbishop Sainz was Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the European Communities in Brussels.