Bishop names Chapter of Canons for East Anglia Diocese

The names of members of a newly-established Chapter of Canons for the Diocese of East Anglia have been announced by Bishop Alan Hopes.

The nine Canons will be installed at a Solemn Mass at St John the Baptist Cathedral in Norwich on March 17 at 18:30 hours.

Bishop Alan(pictured above) said: "For some time I have been seeking to establish a Chapter of Canons for the Diocese, as part of the process towards a clearer line of governance and consultation with the clergy and laity of the Diocese.

"Permission from the Holy See was received last year to establish such a Chapter, which was the natural conclusion of the permission given to the Diocese when it came into being in 1976. Permission was also given to entrust the functions of the College of Consultors to the Cathedral Chapter.This is in line with many of the Dioceses of England and Wales and with a decision made by the Bishops' Conference in 2009.

"The present College of Consultors is made up of the Deans, the Vicar General, the Chancellor, the Judicial Vicar, the Dean of the Cathedral and the Vocations Director, and is subject to moves and retirements, etc.The Chapter of Canons will provide a greater degree of stability to the work of the Consultors," said Bishop Alan.

After consulting the Bishop's Council, Bishop Alan has appointed the following as Canons:

The Revd David Bagstaff (Vicar General)

The Revd Simon Blakesley (Judicial Vicar)

The Revd Mathew George (Parish Priest of Thetford)

The Revd Mark Hackeson (Parish Priest of Bury St Edmunds)

The Revd Mgr Eugene Harkness (Chancellor)

The Revd John Nguyen Minh (Parish Priest of St Luke's, Peterborough)

The Revd David Paul (Cathedral Dean)

The Revd Peter Rollings (Parish Priest of King's Lynn)

The Revd Mgr Peter Leeming (Parish Priest of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Cambridge)

All the people of the Diocese are very warmly invited to share in this historic occasion.

There will be a reception after the Mass.

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