Emulate the Queen, Archbishop of York urges public bodies

THE Archbishop of York has paid tribute to the Queen’s “moral and spiritual” leadership ahead of this summer’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations as he called for public bodies to recognise their “sense of duty and service”.

Writing exclusively in today’s Yorkshire Post, Dr John Sentamu uses his New Year message to praise the example set by Her Majesty.

“Personally, I pray daily and give thanks for our wonderful Sovereign Her Majesty the Queen and the example she has set us in her service and devotion to this nation,” says Dr Sentamu.

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“Our Queen has put God first, neighbour second, duty and responsibility third, and herself last. That is true love and devotion.”

And he adds: “Let us use our Queen’s selfless example as our blueprint for serving others. We should live in hope, while serving in faith and love.”

In deference to the economic slump, Dr Sentamu called on public institutions to recognise their “sense of duty and service which should characterise our personal lives”, adding: “We need to see strong policy making based on what is good for our nation, and that means accepting the responsibility to protect and care for the most vulnerable of our fellow humans.”

His comments come after Dr Rowan Williams, the leader of the Church of England, called on the public not to give up on the younger generation despite the “horrific” scenes during the summer riots.

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The Archbishop of Canterbury added: “The events of the summer were certainly horrific. They showed us a face of our society we don’t like to think about – angry, destructive, lawless.” He called on people to recognise how their actions can help improve society.

Comment: Page 10; Opinion & Analysis: Page 11.

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