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When new Batley Carr-born Cardinal Arthur Roche made a flying stop back to his roots last weekend, technical difficulties prevented the mass he celebrated at Leeds Cathedral two days later being live-streamed and recorded - but George Brooke Ltd were the saviours to ensure a fitting memorial of the Cardinal’s visit.

Disappointed online viewers thought they had missed the momentous occasion at the city’s cathedral on Monday, November 14 due to the software glitch.

But the funeral directors from Dewsbury came to the rescue by filming Cardinal Roche’s return to his home parish, St Joseph’s Batley Carr, on Saturday, November 12.

The ex-St John Fisher pupil, who now lives in Vatican City, was elevated to Cardinal-Deacon by Pope Francis at a ceremony in August and the parish, on Naylor Street, is where he was baptised and confirmed, was the location of his first holy communion and confession and was where he was ordained as a priest.

Batley Carr-born Cardinal Arthur Roche, centre, delivered a Mass at Leeds Cathedral on Monday, November 14. Far left is Cardinal Vincent Nichols and far right is the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Marcus Stock.

However, the parish’s current priest, Jonathan Hart, had booked George Brooke’s to livestream the service, which has now allowed online viewers an alternative opportunity to see Cardinal Roche celebrate mass.

A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Leeds said: “We only started our Leeds Cathedral Live YouTube channel in 2020 and have had a total of almost a million views, so on the rare occasions the technology fails us, a lot of people are disappointed.

“Three separate technical issues conspired to prevent the Cardinal’s Cathedral Mass ‘going live.’

"We can't thank George Brooke's enough for their generosity in allowing us to direct people to their video at St Joseph's - a place which is so dear to Cardinal Roche's heart.”

Dewsbury funeral directors step-in to help Batley Carr Cardinal ‘go live’