Over 400 Parishes under Catholic Bishops

Over 400 parishes have so far passed a resolution under the House of Bishops' Declaration to bring them under the oversight of a bishop of The Society. (In addition, other parishes have passed a resolution that brings them under the oversight of the Bishop of Maidstone.)

According to official figures (Statistics for Mission 2012: Ministry), at the beginning of 2013 there were 368 parishes with a petition under the former Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod in force. The replacement of the Act of Synod with the House of Bishops' Declaration has thus resulted in a significant increase in the number of parishes under the oversight of one of the Church of England's catholic bishops. 

A number of other parishes with a petition under the Act of Synod still in force have yet to vote on the new resolution. The total is expected to rise further before 17 November, when any remaining Act of Synod petitions will lapse. (Parishes can of course pass new resolutions under the House of Bishops' Declaration after that date.)

The Chairman of the Council of Bishops of The Society, the Rt Revd Tony Robinson (Bishop of Wakefield), said, 'I am delighted that so many parishes have voted for a ministry that all can receive, and the oversight of a bishop with whom all will be in full communion. This gives us a firm basis for mission and growth, and for flourishing within the life and structures of the Church of England.'