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  1. About us
  2. Our Bishops

Our bishops

His Grace, the Most Reverend Bernard Longley is Archbishop of Birmingham, the head of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

He is supported by three Auxiliary Bishops, responsible for the three pastoral areas of the diocese.

Their key responsibilities are to:

  • Affirm & strengthen Catholic life in the Pastoral Area
  • Represent the Archbishop locally
  • Facilitate initiatives to strengthen and encourage the life of deaneries and parishes
  • Carry out formal visitations to parishes
  • Celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation

Archbishop Bernard

About the Archbishop: Information and Engagements

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Engagements

About the Archbishop

Archbishop Bernard Longley was born in Manchester on 5 April, 1955 and was ordained Bishop and appointed as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Westminster, on 24th January 2003.
Archbishop Longley was Head of the Diocesan Pastoral Board and had pastoral responsibilities for the Deaneries of Camden, Hackney, Islington, Marylebone, Tower Hamlets, and Westminster.

Archbishop Bernard Longley studied at Xaverian College and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and New College, Oxford.
He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton on 12th December 1981 at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, and was Assistant Priest at St Joseph’s, Epsom, and Chaplain to Psychiatric Hospitals.

From 1987 to 1996 he was on the staff at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, teaching dogmatic theology.

In 1991, he was appointed Surrey Chairman of the Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Commission for Christian Unity and in 1996 became National Ecumenical Officer at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

In 1999 he was appointed Moderator of the Steering Committee of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and also Assistant General Secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference with responsibilities for Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs.

Archbishop Longley authored the Catholic Commentary on the Agreed Joint Statement by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission – “Growing towards Unity and Mission” (2007).

The Archbishop was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in October 2009 and was installed as the ninth Archbishop of Birmingham on Tuesday 8th December 2009. In 2010 Archbishop Longley was appointed by Pope Benedict as a member of the newly erected Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.

In 2011 Pope Benedict appointed the Archbishop as the co-Chairman of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), with oversight of the third phase of Anglican-Catholic dialogue.

Contact

Email [email protected]

Jennifer Davies
Archbishop's Secretariat

Archbishop's House
8 Shadwell Street
Birmingham B4 6EY

Email [email protected]

Tel 0121 236 9090
Fax 0121 212 0171

Fr Dominic Cosslett
Archbishop's Secretariat

Archbishop's House
8 Shadwell Street
Birmingham B4 6EY

Email [email protected]
Tel 0121 236 9090
Fax 0121 212 0171

Published: 23rd March, 2018

Updated: 16th April, 2021

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Archbishop Bernard - Homilies

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2022

Pastoral Letter - 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 26-27 February 2022

Ash Wednesday - 2 March

Rite of Election - 6 March

Mass of Thanksgiving for the Directors and Governors of our Catholic Schools - 5 April

Palm Sunday - 10 April

Chrism Mass - 13 April

Easter Vigil - 16 April

2021

Christmas Second Sunday - 3 January

Baptism of the Lord - 10 January

Ash Wednesday - 17 February

First Sunday of Lent - 21 February

Feast of St Chad - 2 March

Third Sunday of Lent - 7 March

Fifth Sunday of Lent - 21 March

Chrism Mass - 31 March

Trinity Sunday - 30 May

Permanent Diaconate Ordination - 4 July

Permanent Diaconate Ordination - 4 September

Guild of St Stephen Mass - 25 September

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish - 10 October

Midnight Mass - 24 December

2020

Rite of Election - March 2020

St George's Day - Thursday 23 April

Pastoral Letter - Fourth Sunday of Easter - 2 May 2020

Pentecost Sunday - Sunday 31 May 2020

Health Carers Mass - 18 June 2020

Episcopal Ordinations - 9 October 2020

Ordination of Permanent Deacons - Sunday 1 November 2020

Mass for the Faithful Departed Monday 2 November 2020

Chrism Mass - 21 November 2020

Civic Mass - 22 November 2020

Christmas Eve Mass, 10pm, St Chad's Cathedral

2019

Guild of St Stephen Mass - February 2019

Ash Wednesday - 6 March 2019

Pastoral Letter - 6/7 April 2019


Pastoral_letter_April_2019.mp3

Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file

Chrism Mass - April 2019

Easter Vigil - April 2019

Easter Sunday - April 2019

Easter Monday Mass - April 2019

Diaconate Ordination at Oscott - June 2019

Civic Mass - November 2019

First Sunday of Advent - The God Who Speaks launch

Christmas 2019 - Midnight Mass at St Chad's Cathedral

Pastoral Letter - Feast of the Holy Family, 28-29 December 2019

2018

PALM SUNDAY 2018

CHRISM MASS 2018

GOOD FRIDAY 2018

EASTER VIGIL 2018

Pastoral Letter - Feast of Corpus Christi 2-3 June 2018

Wolverhampton SS Mary John 11th Sunday Per Annum. 16 June 2018

Ordination to the Priesthood Jason Mahoney and Robert Carey 7 July 2018

Stella Maris Mass 15 September

Diocesan Celebration Day Homily 14 Oct 2018

Civic Mass 25 November 2018

Walsingham Festival Coventry - 8 December 2018

Christmas 2018 - Midnight Mass at St Chad's Cathedral

Pastoral Letter - 29 and 30 December 2018

Trinity Sunday - Sunday 7 June 2020

Corpus Christi - Sunday 14 June 2020

Episcopal Ordinations +DE +SW 09 October 2020

Published: 24th March, 2018

Updated: 21st April, 2022

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Bishop William Kenney

Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

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Engagements:


Right Reverend William Kenney CP, Titular Bishop of Midica


Bishop Kenney studied sociology and psychology at the universities of Växjö and Gothenburg and obtained a Fil kand (the same as a BA). He worked as a parish priest and academic sociologist within the Catholic Church in Sweden, before pursuing doctoral studies at the London School of Economics from 1977 to 1979.

He then lectured in the Sociology of Religion and was Director of Studies at the Department of Religious Studies in the University of Gothenburg between 1979 and 1982 and from 1984 to 1987. He was a General Councillor of the Passionist Congregation, resident in Rome, from 1982 to 1984. Bishop Kenney was ordained bishop on 24 August 1987 and appointed Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General of the diocese of Stockholm.

One of his major concerns has been to build up the Caritas organisation of the diocese. Caritas is responsible for the pastoral-social work of the Church on both a national and international basis.

In 1991 he was elected President of Caritas Europe for a four-year term. The major part of this work concerned the problems of refugees and immigrants within Europe and the building up of the Caritas organisations in the eastern part of our continent. He was re-elected for a further four-year term in 1995. He served for three terms on the Legal Affairs Commission of Caritas Internationalis that has its headquarters in the Vatican.

In 1988 Bishop Kenney was awarded an honorary doctorate of Philosophy at the University of Gothenburg for his work in encouraging immigrant students to attend University. Besides his duties as Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, he lectures extensively, both in Sweden and abroad on social issues and on ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue. He is also internationally known as a retreat-leader, particularly for religious.
He has taken part in three Episcopal synods: in 1991 on Europe; 1994 on Religious Life; in 1999 the Second European Synod.

Through a Papal appointment in 2013, he is also co-chair of the international conversations between the Lutheran and Catholic Churches. He is a member to the International Department of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales (CBCEW) and represents the Conference in COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community), and also has responsibility for the Conference’s work in Iraq, Sudan and South Sudan.
Bishop Kenney was elected Diocesan Administrator of the Archdiocese of Birmingham by the Cathedral Chapter. His term of office ended on the installation of Archbishop Bernard Longley, in December 2009.

He is a member of the Las Casas Advisory Board which promotes critical reflection on questions of human dignity in the light of Catholic social teaching and theology; a trustee of the Newman Trust, Oxford since 2012; a member of the diocesan Justice & Peace Commission and most recently, the Chair of the Pastoral Planning Group, which coordinates planning for the future of the Southern region of the diocese.

Pastoral Areas (Southern Deaneries):

Banbury, Coventry, Oxford (North & South), Rugby, Warwick.


Key responsibilities:

-Affirm & strengthen Catholic life in the Pastoral Area

-Represent the Archbishop locally

-Facilitate initiatives to strengthen and encourage the life of deaneries and parishes

-Carry out formal visitations to parishes

-Celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation

Residence:

St Hugh’s House
27 Hensington Road
Woodstock
Oxfordshire
Tel & Fax: 01993 812234
Email: [email protected]

PA to Bishop Kenney:
Ms Lucia Hattam
Tel: 01993 812234
Email: [email protected]

Published: 25th March, 2018

Updated: 29th April, 2022

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Bishop Stephen Wright

Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham

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The Reverend Canon Stephen James Lawrence Wright was born in Stafford, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

After obtaining a degree in law from the University of Leicester and the legal practice qualification, he completed his studies for preparation for the priesthood, first at Saint Mary’s College, Oscott, Birmingham, and then at the Venerable English College in Rome, where he was awarded a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

On 9 September 2000, he was ordained a priest for the archdiocese of Birmingham.

He subsequently held the following offices: parish vicar at Corpus Christi, Stechford, Birmingham (2000-2003); parish priest at Saint Joseph’s Banbury (2003-2007); parish priest at Saint Mary and Modwen, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (2007-2019); episcopal vicar for Religious (2012-2019).

Bishop Stephen served as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Birmingham from 2019 until his appointment in March 2020.

Pastoral Areas (Northern Deaneries):

Dudley, Lichfield, North Staffordshire, Stafford, Walsall, Wolverhampton.


Key responsibilities:

-Affirm & strengthen Catholic life in the Pastoral Area
-Represent the Archbishop locally
-Facilitate initiatives to strengthen and encourage the life of deaneries and parishes
-Carry out formal visitations to parishes
-Celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation

Residence

The Presbytery

Warren Place
Brownhills
West Midlands
WS8 6BY

01543 372759

[email protected]

Published: 26th March, 2018

Updated: 25th November, 2020

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Bishop David Evans

Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham

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The Reverend Canon David Ernest Charles Evans was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

He carried out his studies in preparation for the priesthood at the Venerable English College in Rome and was awarded a licentiate in philosophy and theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

On 29 July 1978, he was ordained a priest for the archdiocese of Birmingham.

He subsequently held the following offices: parish vicar at Saint Mary’s, Walsall (1979-1981) and at Saint Aloysius, Oxford (1981-1983); formator and vice-rector at Saint Mary’s College, Oscott, Birmingham (1983-2001); parish priest at Saint Austin’s, Stafford (2001-2006); episcopal vicar for Coventry, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire (2006-2007); parish priest of Saint Theresa’s, Chalbury, Oxon (2007-2012).

Since 2014 he has served as parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Rednal, and since 2019, Episcopal Vicar for Birmingham and Worcester.

He is a member of the Birmingham Metropolitan Chapter, a Judge of the Birmingham Metropolitan Chapter, and a member of the Bishops’ Conference Department for Dialogue and Unity.

He has served on the English Anglican- Roman Catholic Committee and the Bishops’ Conference Committee for Faith and Culture.

Pastoral Areas:

Birmingham and Worcestershire

Key Responsibilities:

-Affirm & strengthen Catholic life in the Pastoral Area
-Represent the Archbishop locally
-Facilitate initiatives to strengthen and encourage the life of deaneries and parishes
-Carry out formal visitations to parishes
-Celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation

Residence:

Parish Presbytery

Old Oscott Road
Maryvale
Birmingham
B44 9SP

0121 243 1877

[email protected]

Published: 26th March, 2018

Updated: 1st December, 2020

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Canon Paul Fitzpatrick

Episcopal Vicar

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Canon Paul Fitzpatrick Episcopal Vicar for the Pastoral Area of Coventry, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire

Canon Paul Fitzpatrick is Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, Henley on Thames.

He is also the Dean of the South Oxfordshire Deanery.

He is the Chair of the Care of the Clergy Committee.

The Chair of the Council of Priests.

The Administrator of the Johnson Association, which cares for the Sick and Retired Priests of the Archdiocese.  

He teaches NT John at St. Mary's College, Oscott, our Diocesan Seminary.

Pastoral Areas (Southern Deaneries):

Banbury, Coventry, Oxford (North & South), Rugby, Warwick.

Key responsibilities:

-Affirm & strengthen Catholic life in the Pastoral Area
-Represent the Archbishop locally
-Facilitate initiatives to strengthen and encourage the life of deaneries and parishes
-Carry out formal visitations to parishes
-Celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation

Residence

31 Vicarage Road
Henley-on-Thames
Oxfordshire
RG9 1HT

Tel: 01491 573258
Email: [email protected]

Published: 27th March, 2018

Updated: 2nd November, 2021

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Bishop Philip Pargeter

Retired

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Philip Pargeter was born in Wolverhampton on 13 June 1933. He was educated at St Hilda’s Primary School, Northenden, Manchester and at St Bede’s College, Manchester. He studied for the priesthood at Grove Park (1951 to 1952) and at St Mary’s Seminary, Oscott (1952 to 1959). He was ordained priest on 21 February 1959.

Bishop Pargeter served at Cotton College from 1959 to 1985 as a member of staff, Housemaster (1975 to 1984), Rector (1982 to 1985) and as parish priest for the local community (1984 to 1985). In June 1985 he was appointed Administrator of St Chad’s Cathedral. He was made a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter in 1986.

A keen ecumenist, Bishop Pargeter became Chairman of the Birmingham Council of Churches in 1988. In this capacity he has worked to forge stronger ecumenical links in the Birmingham area. He was ordained as titular Bishop of Valentiniana and auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham by Archbishop Couve de Murville 21 February 1990.

On 31 July 2009, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Bishop Pargeter’s resignation as Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham in accordance with canons 411 and 401§1.

Published: 29th March, 2018

Updated: 3rd April, 2018

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Bishop David McGough

Retired

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David Christopher McGough was born on 20 November 1944 in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. He attended the Sacred Heart School, Tunstall; St Joseph’s Preparatory School, Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, and Cotton College, North Staffordshire.

He studied for the priesthood at St Mary’s College, Oscott - the Diocesan Seminary - from 1963. He also studied at the Venerable English College in Rome and obtained a degree in Theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on 14 March 1970 by Bishop Joseph Cleary in his home Parish, the Sacred Heart, Tunstall. After a year teaching at the Diocesan Seminary he returned to Rome for Post Graduate Studies and gained a degree in Sacred Scripture in 1974.

Bishop McGough spent 15 years teaching Scripture to students for the Catholic Priesthood at Oscott College from 1974 until 1989. In 1986 he was appointed as Parish Priest at Christ the King, Kingstanding, Birmingham. He has been Parish Priest at Our Lady and All Saints, Stourbridge, since 1990.

His other responsibilities in the Archdiocese of Birmingham have been as Dean of the Dudley Deanery and Canon of St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham. He was appointed Episcopal Vicar for Walsall, Wolverhampton, the Black Country and Worcestershire in 2004. His hobbies are photography and heritage railways. He follows Stoke City Football Club from a distance.

He was ordained Bishop by Archbishop Nichols in St Chad’s Cathedral on 8 December 2005.

Residence:


The Rocks
106 Draycott Road
Tean
Staffordshire
Tel & Fax: 01538 722433
Email: [email protected]

Published: 29th March, 2018

Updated: 16th April, 2021

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