At a service in Blackburn Cathedral on Sunday 8 September The Right Reverend Dr Joe Kennedy, the 12^th Bishop of Burnley, was installed as Episcopal Canon at Blackburn Cathedral and Commissioned to serve in the Diocese of Blackburn by the Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev’d Philip North and Dean of Blackburn, the Very Rev’d Peter Howell-Jones.

The Bishop of Burnley is appointed by the Bishop of Blackburn to work alongside him and the Bishop of Lancaster in delivering leadership in mission across the Diocese. He will also take on pastoral responsibilities in support of clergy and lay leaders in the Diocese as well as lead the Being Witnesses strand of the Diocesan Vision. This service marks the official start of his work across the Diocese and will be the launchpad for the initiatives and areas of work he will oversee.

Joseph Kennedy was nominated for the role of Bishop of Burnley earlier this year and was ordained to the episcopate in July at a service in York Minster.

Prior to this, he served for thirteen years as Vicar of Oxton St Saviour in the Diocese of Chester.

He trained for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, and was ordained priest in 2003. In addition to his parish ministry, he has served as Rural Dean of Birkenhead and in college chaplaincy at the University of Cambridge. In a range of settings, he has helped people prepare for ministry – as a theological college principal at Mirfield, as a lecturer and tutor at St Mellitus College, and in vocations work in the Dioceses of Wakefield and Chester.

Bishop Joe is married to Emily, and they have two school-age children.

In what will be his first public sermon in the Diocese, Bishop Joe said about his new role:

“If you were to ask me about what most enthuses me about our Diocese here in Lancashire, I would point you to St Paul’s phrase, ‘the ministry of reconciliation’. This phrase from God’s Word – ‘the ministry of reconciliation’ – points to so much that is important and beautiful in the life of our church communities, schools, and chaplaincies across Lancashire: – the commitment of so many people to seeking to really live out their faith, to mutual flourishing and unity in the church, to social cohesion and justice, helping neighbours in need, and centrally to prioritizing evangelism and deepening faith in our lives and in our communities. For all these reasons, it is for me an inspiring thing to be part of the life of this Diocese.”

Bishop Philip, the Bishop of Blackburn said of the service:

“This was a great opportunity to show a proper Lancashire welcome to Bishop Joe and to mark the start of his public ministry here in Blackburn Diocese. Bishop Joe brings a wealth of experience in parish ministry and in theological education but more than that, his heart for justice, his desire to see all people flourish and his passion to share the transforming love of Jesus Christ will be great blessings to the Diocese.”

The service will be available to watch from the Blackburn Cathedral YouTube page which can be found here.