
Currently there are only occasional non-Latin rite liturgies celebrated in the Diocese. We do however have a Melkite-Greek Catholic Deacon, Richard Downer who is resident in the Diocese. He belongs to the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, which like the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic Church that celebrates using the Byzantine Rite. The Melkite Catholic community he serves is based in London. As it consists in the main of people from the Middle East, Arabic and English is used in the Liturgy. Also because they have no resident Melkite Bishop in the UK, the community is deemed to be an Ethnic Chaplaincy by the Diocese of Westminster. For more information on Melkites see an excellent English language Melkite website in the USA. Richard reminded me recently that the Pope visited the Melkite community and other Eastern rite Catholics in Jordan and celebrated Vespers (Evening Prayer) with them. The Melkite Patriarch of Antioch presented Pope Benedict with his Patriarch's staff both as a symbol of their unity but also as a reminder of the need the Western Church has to remember its Eastern brothers and sisters who are part of the same Universal Church. The Pope echoed this in his speech during Vespers which can be seen on the YouTube entry below."
'The next night, the Lord appeared to Paul and said, 'Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.' (Acts 23:11)