ARCHBISHOP Derek Worlock of Liverpool died yesterday, just four days after his 76th birthday. In the words of Cardinal Basil Hume, his death has deprived the Catholic Church in England and Wales of "an outstanding servant" whose commitment to ecumenism was manifested by his close co operation with his Anglican opposite number, Bishop David Sheppard, and with Liverpool's Methodist leader, the Rev Dr John Newton.
All but two of his first 21 years as a priest were spent as secretary to three successive cardinal arch"bishops of Westminster, Bernard Griffin, William Godfrey and John Heenan. The job also meant acting as secretary to the Hierarchy and as the church's press spokesman.
He attended Vatican II as an adviser to the English and Welsh bishops and was proud of his part in drafting the council's constitution on the Church in the Modern World. During the last session, he was appointed Bishop of Portsmouth, where he established one of the country's first diocesan pastoral councils.
Together with Cardinal Heenan, he was instrumental in setting up the National Conference of Priests and worked hard as the liaison between the bishops' and priests' conferences.
When Cardinal Heenan died in 1975, Bishop Worlock's name was canvassed as a likely successor, although some Westminster clergy were strongly opposed to this. In the event, Rome made the brilliant choice of Abbot Basil Hume of Ampleforth and appointed Bishop Worlock to Liverpool.
There his partnership with Bishop David Sheppard was based on deep friendship. In his tribute, Bishop Sheppard said that on his appointment to Liverpool, Archbishop Worlock had been given a double mandate by Pope Paul VI to help the people of Merseyside, through the bleak years of unemployment and to ensure Liverpool did not slide into sectarian division.
The two spent a lot of time meeting trade unionists, senior managers, city councillors and government ministers on Liverpool's behalf.
"Derek's commitment to the Gospel message of loving our neighbours made him speak out when he saw disadvantaged people being shut out of decent opportunities in housing, education or jobs," said the Anglican bishop.
Cardinal Hume recalled how Archbishop Worlock and Bishop Sheppard had become known as "fish and chips" because they were always together and often in the newspapers.
The Archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal Cahal Daly, said Archbishop Worlock's death had deeply saddened him. His joint work for reconciliation with Bishop Shepherd "will leave a lasting legacy", Cardinal Daly added.