Canon Bosco MacDonald, Dean of Bristol’s Catholic cathedral, is to be the tenth Bishop of Clifton.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the outgoing Bishop of Clifton Declan Lang, who has served the diocese in this post since 2001.
Bishop-elect MacDonald said, “I am humbled that His Holiness Pope Francis has called me to become the tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Clifton, following the retirement of Bishop Declan Lang who has served us so lovingly and faithfully for 23 years, giving his life completely to the joys and hopes as well as the challenges of our Catholic communities here in the West of England.
“As I embark on this new journey, I am filled with gratitude for the prayers and affection of so many wonderful priests and people, family and friends far and wide. I am eager to renew my profession of faith and deepen my communion with the Successor of Peter and my brother Bishops.
“And just as Pope Francis encourages Bishops to be close to their people in a spirit of service, I accept this new role in obedience to my priestly call with a commitment to serve the priests and people of Clifton to the best of my ability, with care, tenderness, and compassion.”
Outgoing Bishop Declan Lang. Photo by Phil Gibbons.
Bishop Lang told The Tablet that he looked forward to travelling to see friends and family, to doing some reading and praying, and “seeing what the future holds”.
He said one highlight of his ministry in Clifton had been the area of adult education and a growing understanding, from various conferences and study days, of what it means to people to belong to the Church. People had come to a better understanding of the Church’s mission, he said, and of the importance of everyone’s life. “We should not under-estimate the effect we have on everyone’s lives.” He also mentioned how the ethnic make-up of the Church had become so much more diverse, along with that of the surrounding society, during his time in office.
And while the Church was facing challenges, along with many institutions, he remained a “person of hope” who believes in resurrection, he added. “I am not despondent. I recognise the challenges we face but I think we can meet those challenges.”
The date of Bishop-elect MacDonald’s episcopal ordination, to take place at the cathedral in Bristol, will be announced soon.
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