New Anglican bishop for Liverpool

A NEW ANGLICAN bishop has been appointed to Liverpool, a week after the installation of Malcolm McMahon as archbishop of the city’s Catholic diocese, renowned for its ecumenical relations.

On Wednesday, Downing Street announced the appointment of the Bishop of Hertford, Paul Bayes, a former national co-chairman of the Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, to the vacant see. He will succeed Bishop James Jones, who chaired the independent panel that examined the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster and retired last year.

Archbishop McMahon welcomed the appointment of Bishop Bayes and said he looked forward to “working with him to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and serve all who live in this region”.

Relations between Catholics and Anglicans in Liverpool have been strong following the partnership forged by the Anglican bishop, David Sheppard, and the Catholic archbishop, Derek Worlock, who worked together in the city from the mid 1970s until the mid 1990s. The two men are commemorated in a statue at the centre of Hope Street in the city, at either end of which lie the Catholic and Anglican cathedrals.

Bishop Bayes, a former campaigner on the environment who is married with three children, said he was learning about the depth of ecumenical relations in the city.

“This is a great city and a great region with great people,” said the new bishop. “I’m beginning to learn just how much the people of our diocese, alongside our friends and colleagues from other Christian traditions, contribute to this fantastic community.”

The new appointment follows that of Canon Dr Robert Innes as the next Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe. He is a former chancellor of the pro-cathedral of Holy Trinity Brussels, and succeeds Bishop Geoffrey Rowell, who retired last year.