Travelling to Rome for an Ad Limina visit is somewhat different from going on holiday, or on a business trip. It is neither. It is best compared to a Pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is different from other journeys, because the faith element is primary. It is my Episcopal ministry that requires me to make this journey and it is first and foremost an act of communion - that is coming together with the successor of Peter for the benefit of the faith that we promote in our ministry and that sustains us in our daily living.

This visit now is more often than not made in the company of my brother Bishops of England and Wales. This is a powerful expression of our affective collegiality, a recognition that although our jurisdictions are separate (that is we have our own Dioceses to care for), we belong to each other as part of our Episcopal ministry and we need each other as well as needing the Primacy of the Pope.

During the course of our stay, we did much business in various Roman Offices. Some of these meetings were distinctly helpful and encouraging; others were more tedious and left one doubting whether the commitment of time had been worthwhile! It is important to remember that the Roman (Vatican) Offices form a very large beaurocracy with all the strengths and weaknesses of such an institution. However many useful conversations took place and we were received universally with great courtesy.

Without exception the highlight of the Ad Limina is the meeting with Pope Benedict. I had met him on various occasions when he was Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. This time it was very different as he was now Bishop of Rome with all the connotations of that office. There was warmth and courtesy in his welcome that I hope I emulate in my own dealings with priests and people. Our conversation was unhurried and we spoke of a number of issues that are important for the life and work of the Church, among which were mission and ecumenism. It was a real joy to speak of our Patron Saint, St Boniface, born in the West Country and the Apostle of Germany. He reminded me with a smile that Boniface was very aware of the importance of communion with Peter!

The other important encounter with Pope Benedict was as a group. His words to us are in the public forum and so accessible to all. The media, in predictable fashion, latched onto a small part of what he said and again alas predictably got it wrong! It is a shame that our media, capable of such good, every now and again gets things so wrong by following a rather narrow agenda. They should really check out first if they have understood what was being said. However, his message was challenging, not just to us, but to our culture and some of the things happening at this moment in Europe. We were obviously delighted that he should be coming to visit us here, albeit for only a short time.

There were two other events that defined the nature of our Ad Limina visit. The very first morning we started our Pilgrimage with a concelebrated Mass as near to the tomb of Peter as we could get and a couple of days later we concelebrated Mass in the Basilica of St Paul outside the walls, where we were joined by students and staff from the Beda College. We had in a couple of days gone to the heart of our journey to the threshold of the Apostles. Those Apostles' ministry continues to live on in the ministry of Bishops and this is a humbling thought.

We visited both our colleges in Rome, where we received a warm and culinary welcome. They are the Venerable English College and the Pontifical Beda College. The one Plymouth student preparing for priesthood in Rome is at the Beda College and I had an enjoyable and chatty meeting with him over a plate of pasta!

While on a journey of this nature, I am very aware of the Diocese and all its' people. I cannot go anywhere as your Bishop without taking with me, in heart and mind, everyone who belongs to this Diocese. I certainly tried to hold you in prayer each day as I joined with the other Bishops at Mass.

I returned to the Diocese encouraged. Many words of encouragement were exchanged, not least with Pope Benedict. I hope I can hand on that encouragement to others as I pursue my own Episcopal ministry amongst you, knowing that before long I may well be handing on that ministry to another. I am 73 this year!