Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

The former Archbishop of York, the Right Reverend & Right Honourable Lord Hope, has accepted an invitation to become an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese in Europe. He will join a number of other bishops who assist the Diocesan and his Suffragan in their pastoral care of more than 270 congregations scattered over 45 countries in and around Europe.

Since retiring as Archbishop of York in 2005, David Hope served as a Parish Priest in the Yorkshire town of Ilkley. He is currently also Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Bradford Diocese.

The Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, Dr Geoffrey Rowell, welcomed Dr Hope’s acceptance of the position. ‘We are delighted that he is willing to use his energies to share in the work of maintaining ministry as well as commissioning and developing new congregations in this fast growing diocese’ he said.

Before his role as Archbishop, Dr. Hope had previously been Bishop of Wakefield, then Bishop of London. He joins a team of 19 other bishops – some of them retired, others serving in churches which are in communion with the Anglican Curch in various European countries.

The duties of Honorary Assistant Bishops include Confirmations, Ordinations and visits to churches and chaplaincies where their wisdom and experience proves invaluable. They are also on hand to offer support and advice to the Diocesan Bishop and his Suffragan in this, one of the 44 Dioceses in the Church of England, but covering one-sixth of the world’s land surface and operating across 9 time zones.

Item from: The Diocese of Europe