John Broadhurst
Encyclopedia
John Charles Broadhurst 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.
and was educated at Owens School
in Islington
.
and St Boniface College in Warminster
. He was ordained a deacon in 1966 and a priest in 1967.
Broadhurst began his 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 so-called "flying bishop") on 24 September 1996. He had "the pastoral care of parishes which are opposed to the ordination of women
".
Broadhurst was formerly the chairman of Forward in Faith
and vice-chairman of the Church Union
.
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. 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 women 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", a statement for which he has been criticised, and 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.
On 8 November 2010 Broadhurst announced that he intended leaving the Church of England to become a Roman Catholic.
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. On 13 January 2011 he was ordained to the diaconate with the two other former Church of England bishops, Andrew Burnham and Keith Newton. 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. On 17 March 2011 it was announced that he had been appointed an Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. Broadhurst was formerly a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and served as the Bishop of Fulham
Bishop of Fulham
The Bishop of Fulham is a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of London in the Church of England. The bishopric is named after Fulham, an area of south-west London....
in the Diocese of London
Diocese of London
The Anglican Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.Historically the diocese covered a large area north of the Thames and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north and west. The present diocese covers and 17 London boroughs, covering most of Greater...
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
As a child Broadhurst was baptised in the Roman Catholic Church. He grew up in HendonHendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
and was educated at Owens School
Dame Alice Owen's School
Dame Alice Owen's School is a mixed voluntary aided secondary school in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England, founded in the London Borough of Islington.-Admissions:...
in Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
.
Anglican ministry
Broadhurst trained as an Anglican ordinand at King's College LondonKing's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
and St Boniface College in Warminster
Warminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
. He was ordained a deacon in 1966 and a priest in 1967.
Broadhurst began his 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
General Synod of the Church of England
The General Synod is the deliberative and legislative body of the Church of England. The synod was instituted in 1970, replacing the Church Assembly, and is the culmination of a process of rediscovering self-government for the Church of England that had started in the 1850s.- Church Assembly: 1919...
, 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 so-called "flying bishop") on 24 September 1996. He had "the pastoral care of parishes which are opposed to the ordination of women
Ordination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
".
Broadhurst was formerly the chairman of Forward in Faith
Forward in Faith
Forward in Faith is a movement operating in a number of provinces of the Anglican Communion. It represents a traditionalist strand of Anglo-Catholicism and is characterised by its opposition to the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate and, more recently, to more liberal Anglican...
and vice-chairman of the Church Union
The Church Union
The Church Union is an Anglo-Catholic advocacy group within the Church of England.The organisation was founded as the Church of England Protection Society on May 12, 1859 to challenge the authority of the English civil courts to determine questions of doctrine...
.
Roman Catholic ministry
In 2009 there were reports that Cardinal Christoph Schönborn had been meeting with Broadhurst at the suggestion of the Pope.In October 2010, Broadhurst publicly stated his intention of being received into the Roman Catholic Church and entering a personal ordinariate
Personal Ordinariate
A personal ordinariate is a canonical structure within the Catholic Church enabling former Anglicans to maintain some degree of corporate identity and autonomy with regard to the bishops of the geographical dioceses of the Catholic Church and to preserve elements of their distinctive Anglican...
for former Anglicans when it was established. In the same speech he described the Church of England's General Synod
General Synod
-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...
, in respect of its decision about the way in which objectors to the idea of women 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", a statement for which he has been criticised, and 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.
On 8 November 2010 Broadhurst announced that he intended leaving the Church of England to become a Roman Catholic.
Broadhurst was received into the Roman Catholic Church on 1 January 2011 at Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
. Also received at the same ceremony were his wife Judith, Andrew Burnham (former Bishop of Ebbsfleet), Keith Newton (former Bishop of Richborough
Bishop of Richborough
__noTOC__The Bishop of Richborough is a suffragan bishop and provincial episcopal visitor for the whole of the Province of Canterbury in the Church of England....
)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. On 13 January 2011 he was ordained to the diaconate with the two other former Church of England bishops, Andrew Burnham and Keith Newton. 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
Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham is a personal ordinariate of the Roman Catholic Church within the territory of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, but immediately subject to the Holy See in Rome and encompassing Scotland...
in England and Wales was officially established. On 17 March 2011 it was announced that he had been appointed an Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
Honorary Prelate
An Honorary Prelate of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards ecclesiastical dress...
.
Personal life
In 1965 Broadhurst married his childhood sweetheart, Judith. He and his wife have four children; Jane, Mark, Sarah and Benedict. He is interested in genealogy, gardening and travelling. He was once a beekeeper and a fisherman.Styles
- John Broadhurst Esq (1942–1966)
- The Revd John Broadhurst (1966–1996)
- The Rt Revd John Broadhurst (1996–2010)
- John Broadhurst Esq (1–13 January 2011)
- The Revd John Broadhurst (13 January 2011–17 March 2011)
- The Revd Mgr John Broadhurst (17 March 2011-present)