John Charles Broadhurst (born 20 July 1942) is an English Catholic priest who was formerly the Anglican Bishop of Fulham in the Diocese of London from 1996 to 2010. He resigned in order to be received into the Catholic Church and became a priest of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in 2011.
John Broadhurst | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Broadhurst in 2011 | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham |
| Other post(s) | Bishop of Fulham (CofE; 1996–2010) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1967 (Anglican priest) 2011 (Catholic priest) |
| Consecration | 24 September 1996 (Anglican bishop) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 July 1942 |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic (formerly Anglican) |
| Spouse |
Judi Broadhurst (m. 1965) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | King's College London |
Early life
editAs a child Broadhurst was baptised in the Catholic Church. He grew up in Hendon and was educated at Owens School in Islington.
Anglican ministry
editBroadhurst trained as an Anglican ordinand at King's College London and its postgraduate facility at St Boniface College, Warminster. He was made a deacon in 1966 and ordained a priest in 1967.[1]
Broadhurst began his ordained ministry at St Michael-at-Bowes, Palmerston Road, progressing through St Augustine's Wembley Park to the Parish of Wood Green (known as Wood Green Team Ministry). In 1972 he became the youngest elected member of the General Synod of the Church of England, a position he held until 1996. He became Area Dean of Brent while at Wembley Park, and East Haringey during his time at Wood Green. He was consecrated Bishop of Fulham (a "provincial episcopal visitor") on 24 September 1996. He had "the pastoral care of parishes which are opposed to the ordination of women".[2][3]
Broadhurst was formerly the chairman of Forward in Faith and vice-chairman of the Church Union.
Catholic ministry
edit
In 2009 there were reports that Cardinal Christoph Schönborn had been meeting with Broadhurst at the suggestion of the Pope.[4]
In October 2010, Broadhurst publicly stated his intention of being received into the Catholic Church and entering a personal ordinariate for former Anglicans when it was established.[5] In the same speech he described the Church of England's General Synod, in respect of its decision about the way in which objectors to the idea of ordaining women as bishops may or may not have legislative provision to protect their interests, as having been "... vindictive and vicious. It has been fascist in its behaviour, marginalising those who have been opposed to women's ordination",[6] in respect of which he later claimed on the BBC's Sunday programme to have been referring only to the House of Clergy in the Church of England's General Synod.[7]
On 8 November 2010, Broadhurst announced that he intended leaving the Church of England to become a Catholic.[2][8]
Broadhurst was received into the Catholic Church on 1 January 2011 at Westminster Cathedral. Also received at the same ceremony were his wife Judith, Andrew Burnham (former Bishop of Ebbsfleet), Keith Newton (former Bishop of Richborough) and his wife Gill and three former sisters of the Society of St Margaret (Walsingham)—Sister Carolyne Joseph, Sister Jane Louise and Sister Wendy Renate.[9] On 13 January 2011 he was ordained to the diaconate with the two other former Church of England bishops, Andrew Burnham and Keith Newton.[10] Two days later, on 15 January 2011, they were ordained to the priesthood together. On this date the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in England and Wales was officially established.[11] On 17 March 2011 it was announced that he had been appointed an Honorary Prelate of His Holiness. Since his retirement he has moved to Northamptonshire where he remains active in a local parish alongside the Ordinariate.
Personal life
editIn 1965 Broadhurst married his childhood sweetheart, Judith.[1] He and his wife have four children; Jane, Mark, Sarah and Benedict. Broadhurst now has 8 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren with another on the way.[1] He is interested in genealogy, gardening and travelling. He was once a beekeeper and a fisherman.[12]
Styles
edit- The Reverend John Broadhurst (1966–1996)
- The Right Reverend John Broadhurst (1996–2010)
- John Broadhurst (1 – 13 January 2011)
- The Reverend John Broadhurst (13 January 2011 – 17 March 2011)
- The Right Reverend Monsignor John Broadhurst (17 March 2011 – present)
References
edit
- ^ a b c Bishop of Fulham – Background Archived 19 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Statement from five bishops". Archived from the original on 11 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
- ^ The Diocese of London's page on the Bishop of Fulham - "Diocese of London - Bishop of Fulham". Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2008.
- ^ Forward in Faith 'in talks with Vatican'
- ^ Bishop of Fulham to take up Ordinariate
- ^ Church of England is fascist and vindictive says bishop defecting to Rome
- ^ BBC interview with Edward Stourton 24 October 2010
- ^ "Five Anglican bishops join Catholic Church". BBC News. 8 November 2010.
- ^ "Three ex-Anglican bishops are received into full communion", The Catholic Herald (1 January 2011).
- ^ "Online Magazine Following Birth of 1st Ordinariate". Zenit. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- ^ Holy See Press Office Statement about the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in England and Wales Archived 21 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Broadhurst's biography - http://www.bishopoffulham.co.uk/background.htm Archived 21 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine