Diocesan Press Release

The new Bishop arrives in Southwark

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4 September 1998

The Rt Rev Tom Butler, who was named as Bishop of Southwark earlier this year, will arrive for his enthronement on Saturday 12 September by river. He travels by launch from Lambeth Palace to London Bridge City Pier, accompanied by his wife Barbara. He will be met at 2.15 pm by the Bishop of Croydon and the Bishop of Woolwich, and the Rural Deans and Lay Chairs of the deaneries of the Diocese. Before continuing to Southwark Cathedral the party will walk through Hays Galleria, where the Bishop will stop and talk to people among the shops and stalls. An Oyster and Seafoods Fair is scheduled in the Galleria that weekend.

On the following day, Sunday 13 September, a Service of Welcome will be held at the Cathedral at 4.00 pm, to allow many other people from the Diocese to greet him. Each parish has been invited to bring a banner, and at 3.30 pm a marching band will lead them in procession from London Bridge City Pier to the Cathedral.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TELEVISION

There will be an official photographer inside the Cathedral for both services, who will make pictures available. Details will be notified shortly.

Closed circuit television will be used to allow a larger number of people to participate fully.

Apart from this, no photography will be allowed inside the Cathedral.

FURTHER PHOTOCALL, Thursday 10 September -

The Rt Rev Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, will greet the new Bishop of Southwark on the midpoint of London Bridge where their dioceses meet, on Thursday 10 September at 11.30 am.

13.55 The Bishop's launch leaves Lambeth Pier. He will be accompanied by his wife Barbara, his Chaplain, the Rev Andrew Nunn, and the Archdeacons of Lambeth (the Ven Richard Bird) and Wandsworth (the Ven David Gerrard).

14.15 Arrival at London Bridge City Pier. Greeting the Bishop will be the Rt Rev Wilfred Wood, Bishop of Croydon, the Rt Rev Colin Buchanan, Bishop of Woolwich, and the Rural Deans and Lay Chairs of the deaneries of Southwark Diocese (There are 27 deaneries).

16.30 approx. After the service the Bishop of Southwark will go to the piazza between the Cathedral and the River for informal greetings. This is a further opportunity for photographs.

15.00 Parish banner-carriers assemble at London Bridge City Pier (Cotton's Atrium if wet). (There are over 300 parishes in the Diocese).

15.30 The Church Lads and Church Girls Marching Band will lead the procession via Queen's Walk, by the side of St Olav's House and along Montague Close.

15.45 The procession enters Southwark Cathedral by the south-west door (near the Borough Market).

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ON THE BISHOP OF SOUTHWARK

Bishop Tom Butler has been the Bishop of Leicester since 1991, but he is not new to London.

Prior to his appointment as the Bishop of Leicester he served as the Bishop of Willesden in the London Diocese from 1985 to 1991. He also served as the Archdeacon of Northolt for the preceding six years, 1980-85. Although north of the Thames can seem like another country to those from south of it, many of the issues to be faced are London wide and he will be well prepared to begin to address these. He was named as Bishop of Southwark on 17 March 1998, and confirmed in the appointment on 9 July.

Born in 1940 Bishop Tom was educated at King Edward School, Five Ways, Birmingham, and at the University of Leeds, gaining a BSc (1961), MSc (1962) and PhD (1972) in Electronics.

From 1962 he trained for ordination with the Mirfield Fathers at the College of the Resurrection in Yorkshire. Ordained deacon in 1964 and priest in 1965, he was Curate at Wisbech, St Augustine in the Diocese of Ely (1964-1966) and at Folkestone, St Saviour in the Diocese of Canterbury (1966 -1968).

He spent twelve years as a Lecturer in Electronics and Chaplain, first at the University of Zambia (1968-73) and then at the University of Kent at Canterbury (1973-80). From 1971 he was Dean of Lusaka Cathedral, and was later on the staff of Canterbury Cathedral.

Speaking in March 1998 about his forthcoming move back to London, Bishop Tom said:

'The Diocese of Southwark has had a long tradition of being a forward looking Diocese relating the traditional faith of the Church to the realities of contemporary life. I believe that the Diocese has an important part to play as London appoints a Mayor and moves into the new Millennium. I look forward to being involved in its life at this significant time.'

He is married to Barbara, who is the Executive Secretary of Christians Aware, a charity which is involved in education and development. They have two grown up children and one grandchild.

Bishop Tom has been active at national level and until 1995 he chaired the follow-up to 'Faith in the City', which published the controversial Staying in the City Report. He now chairs the General Synod's Board of Mission, the Churches Human Rights Forum and the Governors of Ripon College Cuddesdon. He serves as the General Synod representative on the Inner Cities Religious Council which is an initiative set up by the Department of the Environment. Twelve months ago he entered the House of Lords. He will be re-introduced as Bishop of Southwark in October 1998.

Bishop Tom is a regular contributor to Radio 4's Thought for the Day and has taken part in other national and local TV and radio programmes. He has also co-authored two books with his wife Just Mission and Just Spirituality in a World of Faiths.

He likes to keep fit and in 1992 completed the London Marathon, once again with Barbara, raising money for the Church Urban Fund and Christians Aware.

Ends.