FEATURE image: Archbishop Derek Worlock, sculpture Liverpool. “Archbishop Derek Worlock, sculpture Liverpool” by mira66 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Derek Worlock (February 4, 1920 – February 6. 1996) was an English priest in the Roman Catholic Church and the Archbishop of Liverpool.
Worlock was committed to collaboration with all his fellow Christians. Worlock co-authored the books Better Together and With Hope in our Hearts (both in 1995) with the Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, David Sheppard. Worlock’s motto was Caritas Christi eluceat (“For the Shining Light of Christ”).
In 1994 Archbishop Worlock was awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool award and appointed as a Companion of Honour in 1996. At his death that same year, a memorial for him was planned. It was commissioned in 2005 and made possible through public donations. It was designed by British sculptor Stephen Broadbent (b. 1961). The memorial is situated at the halfway point of Liverpool’s Hope Street. Hope Street joins both the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals. See it here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/newfolder/2535308455
David Sheppard and Derek Worlock memorial, Hope Street, Liverpool. “DSCF0029” by geraldmurphyx is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
The aim of the statue was to create a lasting memorial to the work of these two religious leaders—Catholic archbishop Worlock and Anglican Bishop David Sheppard. Both aimed to heal their churches’ historic religious divisions and serve as a unifying force in Liverpool.
Sheppard-Worlock Statue by Stephen Broadbent. Above: Catholic Archbishop Derek Worlock. London-born Derek Worlock was ordained a Catholic priest in 1944 where his first assignment was as curate of London’s historically pro-cathedral, Our Lady of Victories, Kensington, during the last years of World War II. For the next 19 years Worlock was private secretary to three Archbishops of Westminster until his appointment for one year as Rector and Rural Dean to the Church of SS Mary and Michael, historically one of London’s largest parishes. For the next 11 years, until his appointment to Metropolitan of Liverpool in 1976, Worlock was Bishop of Portsmouth on the English Channel. Below: Anglican bishop David Sheppard. “File:Sheppard-Worlock Statue 2017-2.jpg” by Rodhullandemu is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Detail from the Sheppard-Worlock statue Liverpool. Anglican Bishop David Sheppard. Before Derek Worlock’s appointment as Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool in 1976, the Anglican archbishop of Liverpool, David Sheppard, was consulted over a meal together with Pope Paul VI’s Papal Nuncio in Britain, Archbishop Bruno Heim. Public Domain (Man vyi – Self-photographed. Own work, all rights released).
Coat of Arms, Most Rev. Derek Worlock, Metropolitan Archbishop of Liverpool. It contains Worlock’s motto: Caritas Christi eluceat (“For the Shining Light of Christ”). “Uk rc liverpool worlock” by EborArmorist is licensed under CC BY 3.0.
Archbishop Worlock served as bishop and archbishop from 1965 to 1996, that is, from the beginnings of the Second Vatican Council with its teachings on ecumenism. As bishop of Portsmouth Worlock already was devising ways for Catholics and Anglicans to live together in love. His so-called “Portsmouth solution” in the early 1970’s was in response to the daughter of a local Anglican bishop who wanted to marry a Catholic. The marriage rite and promises would take place in the Catholic church followed that same day by its celebration in the bride’s Anglican church, whose presider was her bishop father. “5783 Sheppard Worlock Statue” by steeljam is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Bishop Worlock’s mitre at his tomb. In 1973 when then-Portsmouth Bishop Worlock was to attend the upcoming Roman Synod of bishops, he suggested the theme of “Evangelization” for its work which Pope Paul VI accepted. The theme not only pointed to the Church’s longstanding tradition of mission among all the baptized, but emphasized Vatican II’s opening out to others that was a hallmark of Bishop and later Archbishop Worlock’s episcopal ministry. see – https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-the-most-rev-derek-worlock-1318052.html – retrieved May 27, 2025. “Derek Worlocks Mitre” by James O’Hanlon is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Archbishop Worlock was an active member of his episcopal conference and led country-wide initiatives on the media, laity, and justice and peace – including drawing attention to Britain’s homeless. As this religious man said: “I am my brother’s keeper, and he’s sleeping pretty rough these days.” London OBSERVER, December 16, 1990. (on the homeless).
