Following an operation May 30, Archbishop of York John Sentamu released the following statement.

[Diocese of York] I am thankful and grateful for Mr Bill Cross, and his surgical team at St James’ Hospital Leeds, who today operated on me for a locally advanced cancer of the prostate. I am also grateful to the nursing staff who are caring for me.

I am thankful, too, for all of you who regularly pray for me and support me, especially my staff at Bishopthorpe Palace.

I will be out of action for some time, and will continue to value your prayers. I look forward to resuming my ministry as soon as possible.

As I have often said, during the most trying times, I have derived great comfort from the words of the Taizé chant, ‘Aber du weißt den Weg für mich’, adapted from a passage in Letters and Papers from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, (a German Pastor and Theologian executed by the Nazis in 1945):

“God, gather and turn my thoughts to you. With you there is light, you do not forget me.  With you there is hope and patience.  I don’t understand your ways, but you know the way for me.”

I wish you all joy in the Lord.

+Sentamu Eboracensis    
on the Feast of Corpus Christi