THE new Bishop of Lancaster arrived in the city this week, fresh from his appointment by the Pope.

The Right Reverent Patrick O'Donoghue, 67, currently Bishop in West London, takes over from the late Bishop John Brewer.

He has already established a reputation for advancing the cause of vulnerable groups, publishing a hard-hitting document on asylum seekers just two weeks ago.

His other interests include promoting penal reform and working with other faiths. His motto as Bishop will be 'Beati pauperes' (blessed are the poor), a quote from Luke's gospel.

He has pledged to identify the problems of the Lancaster Diocese, which stretches from Preston to the Scottish Borders.

"I am quite excited, but also quite apprehensive," Bishop O' Donoghue told the Citizen: "I have visited Lancaster and the Lake District before as a tourist, but I'm looking forward to meeting the people of this area."

One of his first concerns will be the fate of farmers and the tourist industry in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis.

He said: "Obviously my sympathies and prayers go out to them. I come from farming stock myself so I understand some of the difficulties.

"In the short term I hope it will be all over and we can start building for the future, with help from the Government."

Bishop O'Donoghue was born in County Cork in 1934, but he did not join the priesthood until the age of 25 after a spell as a civil servant.

He spent more than 40 years working in London, and is looking forward to the challenge of discovering a new area.

"One and a half million people lived in my diocese in London, but I could reach any of them in 25 minutes. Here, I will be travelling distances of 60, 70 or 80 miles for appointments," he explained.

Bishop O'Donoghue also paid tribute to his long-serving predecessor, the late Bishop John Brewer. He intends to build on Bishop Brewer's hard work and harness the enthusiasm of local Catholics.

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, welcomed Bishop O'Donoghue's appointment. He said: "He will be greatly missed in the Archdiocese of Westminster but we wish him well.

"The people of Lancaster can be sure that they are receiving a good pastor in Bishop O'Donoghue in succession to the late Bishop Brewer."

Bishop O'Donoghue will be installed in a special mass at Lancaster Cathedral on Wednesday, July 4, to be conducted by Archbishop Patrick Kelly of Liverpool. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor will also be in attendance.