Dean of Liverpool Cathedral
31 December 2007
Revd Canon Justin Welby, the Dean of Liverpool, took up his current position in December 2007. He previously held the position of Sub Dean and Canon for Reconciliation Ministry at Coventry Cathedral.
At the time of his appointment to Liverpool, he said:
“Liverpool Cathedral is a unique place to work, offering wonderful opportunities for both living and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. There is a great challenge in measuring up to my predecessors, especially the Godly, gentle and scholarly ministry of Rupert Hoare, and to the great work being done by Canon Anthony Hawley as Acting Dean. The location is obviously unique, as a city, a diocese and the Cathedral itself. I was swept away by its grandeur, space and by the general sense of welcome and hospitality. So, converted by place, city and diocese, as a family we said ‘yes’ with a huge sense of privilege.”
The Rt Revd James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool commented:
“Justin’s range of experience and gifts equips him admirably to be the Dean of Liverpool. On behalf of the Diocese we give him and Caroline and the family the warmest welcome. The Cathedral has an iconic place on the City’s sky line and the Dean has always had an important role in the wider community as well as the Diocese. We look forward eagerly to his leadership and pray for God’s blessing on his ministry among us.”
Canon Anthony O’Brien, Dean of Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral said:
“There has been a long tradition of close co-operation and partnership between our two Cathedrals and I am looking forward to working in collaboration with the dean in his post. 2008 and its aftermath will be a time when our city is the focus of national attention and both our Cathedrals will play a major role in this. I'm sure the dean will receive a very warm welcome from the Cathedral community and on behalf of the Metropolitan Cathedral I extend a warm welcome and the promise of our support.”
Canon Anthony Hawley, previously Acting Dean of Liverpool Cathedral said:
“We were delighted to hear of Canon Welby’s appointment as Dean of Liverpool. He is a person of great gifts with a wealth of both Cathedral and business experience, who will help to shape the next stage of our ministry here in a dynamic way, particularly in these important years in the life of the city. With his experience in Coventry, and before that, in both parish life and in the world of international business and reconciliation work, he has brought important insights on our work and common life in the city, region and beyond.”
Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council greeted news of his appointment,
“Liverpool Cathedral plays a key role in the City along with the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. The two cathedrals have a good record of working together to bridge the divide between the two religions.
Not only is the cathedral a place of worship for our residents it is also set to be, in the forth coming years, a place of celebration as it hosts a number of events in this the Birthday Year and in 2008 during Capital of Culture.
At this time of great celebration and development we offer a warm welcome to Justin Welby as the Dean, who I am sure will continue the hard work of building links with all the diverse communities in the city”
The Very Revd Justin Welby’s Biography
Justin Welby (51) was Sub Dean and Canon for Reconciliation Ministry, Coventry Cathedral where he was responsible for day to day operations, supervising schools work, youth work and care of the Cathedral community. He worked extensively on a wide range of domestic and international reconciliation projects, especially involving relations with Islamic groups in Nigeria and the Middle East.
He was ordained in the Church of England in 1992, serving as a Curate in Nuneaton, then working for seven years as Rector of St James Southam and St Michael & All Angels in Ufton, Coventry. Before ordination he worked at a senior level in the oil industry in France and the UK. He is a the Personal and Ethical Adviser to the Association of Corporate Treasurers, Member of the Committee of Reference F&C Investments (advising on the ethical investment policies of a large fund manager in the City of London) and Trustee of the Church of England Central Board of Finance Investments. He has also chaired an NHS General Hospital Trust and Schools Board of Governors.
He is a fluent French speaker and has published papers in English and French. He lectures on ethics and finance in the UK and Switzerland, and is on the Board of Association Internationale pour l’Enseignement Chrétien Social (the International Association for Catholic Social Teaching).
Family matters a great deal to him. He is married to Caroline and has six children, their first child sadly deceased. The staff at Liverpool Cathedral are delighted that he has come with his family to be a part of the Cathedral community.
