The death of Mgr Mark Langham in January has left a void in many people’s lives, for his influence was immense. Urbane, witty, humane and immensely capable, but for his leukaemia his distinguished Vatican work at the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity might have led to a diocese or a nunciature. The Telegraph thought that “he was one of the outstanding Catholic priests of his generation, and his early death has robbed the Church of one who would surely have played a major role in future years.” Perhaps he might have succeeded Alan Hopes at East Anglia; we shall never know.