The Archbishop of York has today consecrated four new bishops in a service at Canterbury Cathedral. Two will serve the Diocese of Oxford, while one will serve the Diocese of Birmingham and another the Diocese in Europe.
Archbishop Stephen consecrated the Reverend Canon Mary Gregory as the new Bishop of Reading; the Reverend Canon Dave Bull as the new Bishop of Buckingham; the Reverend Canon Esther Prior as the new Bishop of Aston; and the Reverend Canon Andrew Norman as the Bishop in Europe. The Venerable Luke Irvine-Capel was consecrated as the new Bishop of Richborough in a ceremony later in the day.
The service began at 11am with a procession of senior bishops and clergy to the West End of the Nave of Canterbury Cathedral. Dr Jane Williams, the McDonald Professor in Christian Theology at St Mellitus College, delivered the sermon. Towards the end of the service, the newly ordained bishops turned to face the congregation while the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Sarah Mullally, formally welcomed them with a special prayer.
Archbishop Stephen said, “It was a real privilege to consecrate Mary, Dave, Esther, and Andrew today, and wonderful to see Luke consecrated as Bishop of Richborough. Each of them brings a wealth of skills and experience to their new role. The Church will be richly blessed by their ministry.
“This is a challenging time yet the work of the Church goes on. From after-school groups and choral evensongs to food banks, chaplaincies, and countless quiet acts of service, members of our churches continue to demonstrate the transformational love of Christ. This is the vocation of the Church and the new bishops consecrated today will help lead and support this mission.”
Bishop Mary, the new Bishop of Reading, previously served as the Canon Residentiary for Arts and Reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral. She was ordained as a priest in 2006. She said, “…life with God is an adventure, full of surprises, and I am sure that God is now inviting me to this new work as Bishop of Reading. Into that role, I will take my commitment to reconciliation and my absolute conviction that God loves and welcomes all of us”.
Bishop Dave, the new Bishop of Buckingham, most recently held the position of Team Rector at All Saints Marlow. He was previously the Chaplain to the 2012 London Olympics, and enjoys mountain biking. He said, “”It is an exciting prospect to serve Buckinghamshire as Bishop in the coming years. My family have made it our home for the past 13 years and so we have already come to love many of the communities, schools and churches here. I look forward to coming to love all the others in the years ahead.”
Bishop Esther, the new Bishop of Aston, was previously the vicar of St John’s Egham in Surrey. She was born in Malawi and has served as a school chaplain and a young offenders’ prison chaplain. She said, “I thank God for the opportunity to serve as the Bishop of Aston. Faith in Jesus Christ…motivates me to look forward with hope and joy. I look forward to getting to know and love the communities of the Church of England Birmingham in the months to come.”
Bishop Andrew, the new Bishop in Europe, will serve the diocese in Europe, which contains communities of worship from Norway to Morocco and Turkey. He previously held the position of Director of Ministry and Mission for the Diocese of Leeds, and began his curacy at St Michael’s, Paris. Before ordination, Bishop Andrew worked in a factory in Malta which printed bank notes. He will be installed at Holy Trinity Cathedral Gibraltar in the next few months. He said, “‘I’m delighted to be returning to the diocese where I served my curacy. Being Suffragan Bishop in this vast and fascinating diocese is an exciting as well as a daunting prospect. In partnership with other churches in Europe, there’s wonderful potential for nurturing Christian faith and witness.”
Bishop Luke, the new Bishop of Richborough, will serve the eastern dioceses in the southern province as one of the Provincial Episcopal Visitors providing episcopal oversight for traditional catholic parishes. He previously held the position of Archdeacon of Chichester. He said, “I greatly look forward to moving home and to being embedded in the Diocese of Portsmouth, sharing in the life and mission of that Diocese with Bishop Jonathan and each of the Bishops across the 14 Dioceses served by the See of Richborough. Please pray for me and my family as I prepare to begin this exciting ministry.”
