Thinking Anglicans

Bishop of Richborough to retire

The Archbishop of Canterbury has announced that the Right Reverend Norman Banks, the Bishop of Richborough, is due to retire on Easter Sunday next year. The Bishop of Richborough is a suffragan of the Archbishop of Canterbury and one of three Provincial Episcopal Visitors (PEV) in the Church of England.

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Geoff McL
Geoff McL
9 months ago

It would seem both of the previous Bishops of Richborough have become Roman Catholics after leaving the role, so it will be interesting to see what the Right Reverend gentleman does in the coming months.

Fr Dean
Fr Dean
Reply to  Geoff McL
9 months ago

A cynical person might speculate that these men wait until they have maximised their gold plated pension entitlement from the CofE before swimming the Tiber.

Ian
Ian
Reply to  Fr Dean
9 months ago

Fr Dean should know , as a good union man, that pensions are deferred income for work already performed. What people do after retirement is their own business,and not something to be criticised for. Lots of people get accused of having ‘gold plated’ pensions. It means nothing.

Fr Dean
Fr Dean
Reply to  Ian
9 months ago

It means a great deal if you wait until you have accumulated a tidy amount of gold plating before you discover your true spiritual home.

Ian
Ian
Reply to  Fr Dean
9 months ago

The problem with ‘gold plated’ is that it ìs always a pejorative and rarely accurate. The àttack dogs of the right wing press call public sector pensions gold plated. My retired head teacher wife is accused of having a gold plated pension. Fr Dean doesn’t approve of flying bishops ok, that’s fine. In fact I’m not convinced he approves of any bishop judging by his many posts on the subject. I don’t know what a Bishop’s pension is. I expect its decent enough, but gold plated? I’d be surprised.

Alastair (living in Scotland)
Alastair (living in Scotland)
Reply to  Ian
9 months ago

Perhaps ‘gold plated’ compared with the pension of a priest in charge?

Rowland Wateridge
Rowland Wateridge
Reply to  Alastair (living in Scotland)
9 months ago

These generalisations aren’t helpful. There are numerous possible permutations of pensions of C of E clergy. However, my understanding is that there is an ‘uplift’ for certain senior clergy, referred to as ‘multiple of basic pension’ –
The two Archbishops: multiple of 2 (additional 100%)
The Bishop of London: 1.8
All other diocesan bishops: 1.5
Suffragan bishops, deans and archdeacons: 1.25

Further details: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/2023-clergy-booklet-v-1.1.pdf

Robin Ward
Robin Ward
Reply to  Fr Dean
9 months ago

Mgr Newton resigned and became a Roman Catholic in 2011, aged 59. So well before his retirement age.

Fr Dean
Fr Dean
Reply to  Robin Ward
9 months ago

Pension benefits are payable from age 55 (57 in 2028).

Fr. Robert
Fr. Robert
9 months ago

Hopefully, as with Beverly and Oswestry, they will appoint a youngish Bishop who will serve for many years. May God be praised for Bishop Norman’s excellent ministry

Struggling Anglican
Struggling Anglican
Reply to  Fr. Robert
9 months ago

But youngish bishops can also be old fogeys.

Perry Butler
Perry Butler
9 months ago

It would be interesting to know more about the size of the constituencies of the “flying” bishops now. In my diocese it has shrunk considerably since 1993.

God 'elp us all
God 'elp us all
Reply to  Perry Butler
9 months ago

Wondering if/when ‘flying bishops’ might be grounded, no longer with ‘certificates of airworthiness’?

Perry Butler
Perry Butler
Reply to  Perry Butler
9 months ago

Any reports from elsewhere? And the number in training who identify as trad Catholic?

Matthew Tomlinson
Matthew Tomlinson
Reply to  Perry Butler
9 months ago

The flying bishop terrain in the Diocese of Birmingham is almost at the point of evanescence.

Simon Bravery
Simon Bravery
Reply to  Perry Butler
9 months ago

The Richborough website lists 100 parishes, I think Oswestry has 110.

Matthew Tomlinson
Matthew Tomlinson
Reply to  Simon Bravery
9 months ago

Some of those still listed in the Oswestry website, notably two in Oxford, have clearly left the fold, unless the ‘Society’ is now happy for women to celebrate mass in its affiliated churches.

Matt
Matt
Reply to  Matthew Tomlinson
9 months ago

Yes indeed – St Thomas the Martyr and St Barnabas Jericho rescinded their resolution in 2023. The Independent Reviewer had something to say about the processes that were followed in doing so:

https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/report-oxford-st-barnabas-st-paul-with-st-thomas-the-martyr.pdf

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