Bishop John Sherrington appointed Archbishop of Liverpool

‘I thank Pope Francis for his trust in me on my appointment as Archbishop of Liverpool which I accept with humility and joy. We pray for our Holy Father at this time of sickness as he recuperates and prepares for Holy Week and Easter.’

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop John Sherrington as Archbishop of Liverpool.

Bishop Sherrington, an auxiliary in Westminster since 2011, will be the tenth Archbishop of Liverpool, succeeding Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP. He will be installed in May.

Archbishop McMahon said: “I am grateful to God and to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for appointing a bishop to serve this local church, the archdiocese of Liverpool. We are receiving a new archbishop with considerable gifts, talents and skills, but most of all we are receiving a man of deep prayer who loves the Lord Jesus and who loves His Church. I have had the pleasure to serve with Archbishop-elect Sherrington in the Diocese of Nottingham and in the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and I am delighted to welcome him today.”

Archbishop-elect Sherrington, who was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Nottingham in 1987, said: “I thank Pope Francis for his trust in me on my appointment as Archbishop of Liverpool which I accept with humility and joy. We pray for our Holy Father at this time of sickness as he recuperates and prepares for Holy Week and Easter.

“I look forward to serving as shepherd of the historic and faith-filled Church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool which is rich in its heritage of the English martyrs, Irish immigration, and now looks to the future.

“Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP has served Liverpool Archdiocese with love and generosity, and I am honoured to succeed him … I look forward to building on the foundations already laid in the synodal pastoral plan ‘Together on the Road’ to serve the Church and bring the hope and joy of Jesus Christ to all people.

“In this Jubilee Year, we are a people living the hope of Christ who has loved us, saved us and walks with us. We share this hope with other Christians and people of all faiths and good will. I welcome meeting and building friendships with leaders, both Christian and of other faiths, which has always been a strong dimension of the Church here. May we receive the fire of the Holy Spirit into our hearts to bring Christ to others.”

The Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: “Those who have been following reports on the health of the Holy Father and keeping him in their prayers will know that he has continued his work, including the appointment of bishops.

 “I am so pleased that he has appointed our Bishop John Sherrington to be the next Archbishop of Liverpool. Liverpool is, of course, my home diocese and I am delighted that it is to be led by Bishop John.

 “In Westminster we know his gifts, dedication and utter generosity only too well. We will miss him greatly. Archbishop Malcolm will welcome him with great joy as, I’m sure, will everyone across the extensive Archdiocese of Liverpool.

 “Today we offer our profound thanks to Bishop John for all that he has given to us over these last fourteen years, and we assure him, wholeheartedly, of our prayers and constant support. And, of course, we continue to hold Pope Francis very much in our prayers, too.”

Archbishop-elect Sherrington, born in Leicester on 5 Jan 1958, graduated with a BA in Mathematics from Queens’ College, Cambridge, where St John Fisher was once president, and also did a short period in management consultancy before entering seminary. 

He lectured in moral theology at All Hallows College, Dublin and St John’s Seminary, Wonersh where he was also a member of the formation staff, before serving as a parish priest from 2004-2011.

Within the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, he is a member of the Department for Social Justice with responsibility for life issues since 2014, and a member of the Education Department since 2022. He is a member of the governing body of the Anscombe Centre, Oxford, and a trustee of the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth.

Internationally, he is a member of the Overseas Seminary Committee. He is also a trustee of the Pontifical Beda College and Venerable English College in Rome, and a trustee of the Royal English College in Valladolid, Spain.

The Archdiocese of Liverpool is to build a new “Welcome Centre” at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. This will replace the former visitor centre and aim to support the cathedral’s mission as a place of faith, heritage and community. Monsignor Anthony O’Brien, Cathedral Dean, said: “The cathedral is a place of welcome for all, and this development will allow us to strengthen that even further.”

Built with a circular design by Frederick Gibberd in 1967, Christ the King is the largest Catholic Cathedral in England. Originally, it was planned by Sir Edwin Lutyens as the largest church in the world after St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, and received the name of Christ the King at the suggestion of Pope Pius XI. Building stopped due to the outbreak of the Second World War.

A spokesman for Buttress Architects, the architectural and heritage lead organisation on the project, said: “As a landmark of faith and community, the cathedral holds deep spiritual, cultural, and architectural significance. Our approach is one of careful renewal, preserving what makes the building special while introducing thoughtful interventions that support its role as a dynamic centre of faith and community.”

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