The Bishop has an immense responsibility in his ministry and service as a bishop. The Bishop needs trusted advisers who, from time to time, can assist in the tasks he faces. The Bishop has various advisers to help him to carry out his ministry and one of these groups of people are the Diocesan Trustees.

The Diocese of Salford is, in fact, a registered charity which is incorporated in the same way that a limited company is, but which fulfils exclusively charitable activities. So all our schools, parishes and other properties are held in the title of the Diocese of Salford. So too are investments and other assets which belong to the diocese. 

The maintenance and management of this complex company is the responsibility of the Diocesan Trustees. These comprise several priests of the diocese whom the Bishop has appointed to draw on their experience and knowledge of different areas of Catholic life within the diocese.

In a narrow sense, the Diocesan Trustees operate like a Board of Directors and they, in turn, receive advice and information from the different departments of the Diocese which have specific interest or expertise in the issue being considered. The Trustees advise the Bishop to enable him to reach informed decisions about the many and complex issues that he faces.

The Diocesan Trustees have responsibility also to protect the estate of the diocese. There are various legal restrictions and civil law obligations that the Trustees have to have regard to. So, for example, the Diocesan Trustees could never give property away, as this would be a breach of charity law. They have to try to ensure that properties are managed well and that best value is achieved if or whenever they are sold or disposed.

Finally, the responsibility of the Diocesan Trustees is to ensure that the assets are used exclusively for the purposes of the Trust, a matter which is particularly important when you consider that the assets have largely been paid for over the generations by the faithful of the Diocese who have supported the Church through these years.

In practical terms, the Trustees meet formally on at least three occasions each year, and each year consider and approve the annual budget for the diocese as well as approving the formal accounts of the Diocese that are required for regulatory purposes. There is provision for emergency action between meetings and sometimes decisions can properly be delegated to different groupings within the Diocese who have primary responsibility for the area of activity. Often, the Diocesan Trustees will set out broad policy at a high level and then delegate the implementation of it to other groups.

The reassuring thing in all this is that the Bishop is not left without any wise counsel from experienced brother priests when he needs it.

At the end of all this, the Trustees advise but the Bishop must decide – that is his mission and responsibility.  The Trustees are there to help him on that journey.

The Diocesan Trustees are:

The Right Reverend Terence Brain, Bishop of Salford

Rev. Canon Anthony Kay VG
Rev. Monsignor John Allen
Rev. Monsignor Austin Bulfin
Rev. Michael J Cooke
Rev. Canon Liam Houlihan
Rev. Canon Kevin Kenny
Rev. Monsignor Provost Michael Quinlan

Secretary to the Trustees: Mr Ed Nally LLB