The Archbishop of Wales issued the message below to the diocese of Bangor on 20 February 2026. I wrote about the proposal to appoint an interim bishop here and here.
Interim Bishop of Bangor: Message from the Archbishop of Wales
Dear friends,
Today, we have held interviews of an Interim Bishop of Bangor. I am very grateful for all those, from the diocese and the province, who have been involved in this discernment process.
Any process of discernment has to be open to an outcome that it is not right to proceed in the way we hoped. This is what has happened on this occasion and so we will not be proceeding with the appointment of an interim bishop.
Instead, I am going to ask the Governing Body’s Standing Committee to recommence the electoral college process.
The diocese remains in my prayers.
Archbishop Cherry
An utter fiasco! Why were the rules changed to permit the appointment of an interim bishop without a suitable candidate having been identified? This does not reflect well on Cherry Vann’s leadership.
Sadly I’m not at all surprised all credible contenders have given it a wide berth, especially as the ‘retired’ Archbishop is still resident and active in the Diocese, and the person at the heart of the scandals there has as yet not been subject to thorough investigation or received any sanction of any kind. I say sadly as there are so many good clergy and laity in the Diocese who are just quietly trying to get on with doing what they can on their patch. They deserve far better than the egotistical mediocrities they’ve been saddled with in leadership for… Read more »