In 1981 he was appointed Administrator of Clifton Cathedral in Bristol and Vicar General of the Diocese of Clifton, with special responsibility for ecumenical affairs.

As a result, the diocese has reduced its activities, shrinking the offices for worship, ecumenical and interreligious affairs, social action and prison ministry.

On 6 June 1960, he was appointed the first president of the newly formed Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, a Curial organisation charged with ecumenical affairs.

"What we're trying to do is keep as many people in the loop as possible here," said the Rev. Daniel F. Martensen, the Lutherans' director of ecumenical affairs.

Besides dealing with financial matters and personnel, it also has departments of education and diaconia, ecumenical affairs, church and society and communication.

In 1987, he was recognized by the Pomona Valley Council of Churches for outstanding leadership in ecumenical affairs.

Hill has been continuously involved in ecumenical affairs throughout his ministry.

"We are all concerned about his health," said Cardinal Walter Kasper of Germany, who handles ecumenical affairs and accompanied the pope to Bulgaria.

He was active in ecumenical affairs, both in Latin America and on the world stage.

He was anointed a bishop along with four others, assuming the name and style of Abune Paulos, and given responsibility for ecumenical affairs by the Patriarch.