12 Facts About Derek Worlock

Derek John Harford Worlock CH was an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Liverpool.

However, Harford and Dora Derek Worlock converted to Roman Catholicism and raised their son in that faith.

Derek Worlock was a student at St Edmund's College from 1934 to 1944.

Derek Worlock was ordained at Old Hall Green on 3 June 1944 as a priest of the Diocese of Westminster, seminarians being exempt from military service so they could be rushed through to serve as chaplains.

Derek Worlock attended every session of the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965.

Derek Worlock was appointed Bishop of Portsmouth on 18 October 1965 and consecrated at the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, Portsmouth, on 21 December 1965.

Derek Worlock was one of the panelists for the first edition of the BBC programme Question Time in 1979.

Derek Worlock contributed to the work of reconciliation after the Toxteth riots in 1981 and in the aftermath of the football stadium tragedies at Heysel in 1985 and Hillsborough in 1989.

Derek Worlock was committed to evangelisation and collaborated with his fellow Christian leaders, as demonstrated by the books Better Together and With Hope in our Hearts which he and his Anglican counterpart in Liverpool, Bishop David Sheppard, jointly produced.

In July 1992, Derek Worlock underwent major surgery for lung cancer.

Derek Worlock survived long enough to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood two years later, before succumbing to the disease in 1996.

Derek Worlock was appointed as a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in the 1996 New Year Honours, but died of cancer four days after his 76th birthday and one day after the 20th anniversary of his appointment as archbishop, just a week before he was due to be invested.