The Prime Minister’s office has announced that the next Dean of Guildford is to be the Revd Canon Dianna Gwilliams. The official press release is here, and is copied below the fold.
Canon Gwilliams will be the fifth woman to become a cathedral dean in the Church of England.
The diocese of Guildford has this announcement.
Canon Gwilliams is currently working in the diocese of Southwark, which has its own announcement here.
Press Release from the Prime Minister’s Office
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Dianna Lynn Gwilliams, to be appointed to be Dean of Guildford.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Dianna Lynn Gwilliams, MA, Vicar of St Barnabas, Dulwich and Foundation Chaplain of Alleyn’s Foundation, Dulwich in the Diocese of Southwark, and Honorary Canon of Southwark Cathedral, to be appointed to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit in Guildford, on the resignation of the Very Reverend Victor Andrew Stock, OAM, AKC, FRSA, on 31 July 2012.
Notes for editors
The Reverend Canon Dianna Gwillliams (aged 55) studied Physics and Chemistry at the University of California for her BA, and then moved to London in 1978 to continue her work as a Sound Engineer. She trained for ordination with the Southwark Ordination Course and was ordained deacon in 1992 and priest in 1994. She served her first curacy in Peckham, southeast London, at Copleston Centre Church (a Local Ecumenical Partnership) and second curacy at St Barnabas, Dulwich, before applying for, and being appointed Vicar of St Barnabas and Foundation Chaplain of Edward Alleyn’s Foundation in 1999. She gained an MA Youth Ministry and Theological Education from King’s College, London in 2001.
In addition to these responsibilities Dianna has also served as Area Dean of Dulwich from 2005 to 2012, Diocesan Dean of Women’s Ministry from 2009 to 2012 and has just completed 12 months as Acting Archdeacon of Southwark. Since 2006 she has been an Honorary Canon of Southwark Cathedral.
Such an excellent appointment. How heartening. Well done Guildford and congratulations to Dianna.
One day the headline will simply read ‘Another Dean’.
@David – one day maybe, but today let us rejoice that a gifted woman priest has been appointed as Dean of Guildford (my Diocese) and pray for Dianna.
Where next? Chelmsford?
Including Europe there are 44 dioceses in the CofE – with 5 women deans – that means only 17 more cathedrals need to appoint a woman as dean to achieve parity.