John Broadhurst


John Broadhurst
Broadhurst in 2011
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
SeePersonal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
Other post(s)Bishop of Fulham (CofE; 1996–2010)
Orders
Ordination1966 (CofE)
13 January 2011 (RCC)
Consecration24 September 1996 (CofE)
Personal details
Born (1942-07-20) 20 July 1942 (age 81)
NationalityBritish
DenominationRoman Catholic (formerly Anglican)
Spouse
Judi Broadhurst
(m. 1965)
Children4
Alma materKing's College London

John Charles Broadhurst (born 20 July 1942) is an English priest of the Roman Catholic Church. Broadhurst was formerly a bishop of the Church of England and served as the Bishop of Fulham in the Diocese of London from 1996 to 2010. He resigned in order to be received into the Roman Catholic Church and became a priest in that church in 2011.

Early life[edit]

As a child Broadhurst was baptised in the Roman Catholic Church. He grew up in Hendon and was educated at Owens School in Islington.

Anglican ministry[edit]

Broadhurst 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.

Roman Catholic ministry[edit]

Keith Newton, Broadhurst (third right), Andrew Burnham, and their wives, with Bishop Alan Hopes following their ordination as Roman Catholic deacons

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 Roman 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 Roman Catholic.[2][8]

Broadhurst was received into the Roman 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.

Personal life[edit]

In 1965 Broadhurst married his childhood sweetheart, Judith.[1] He and his wife have four children; Jane, Mark, Sarah and Benedict.[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]

  1. ^ a b c Bishop of Fulham – Background Archived 19 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b "Statement from five bishops". Archived from the original on 11 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Forward in Faith 'in talks with Vatican'
  5. ^ Bishop of Fulham to take up Ordinariate
  6. ^ Church of England is fascist and vindictive says bishop defecting to Rome
  7. ^ BBC interview with Edward Stourton 24 October 2010
  8. ^ "Five Anglican bishops join Catholic Church". BBC News. 8 November 2010.
  9. ^ "Three ex-Anglican bishops are received into full communion", The Catholic Herald (1 January 2011).
  10. ^ "Online Magazine Following Birth of 1st Ordinariate". Zenit. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  11. ^ 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
  12. ^ Broadhurst's biography - http://www.bishopoffulham.co.uk/background.htm
Church of England titles
Preceded by Bishop of Fulham
1996–2010
Jonathan Baker