Fulham appointment announced

from the Archbishop of Canterbury's website: 

Archbishop welcomes appointment of new Bishop of Fulham

Bishop Jonathan Baker and Archbishop Rowan Williams

Wednesday 31st October 2012

This morning Number 10 Downing Street announced that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the nomination of the Rt Revd Dr Jonathan Baker, Bishop of Ebbsfleet, to be the Suffragan Bishop of Fulham in the Diocese of London. 

Welcoming the nomination Archbishop Rowan Williams said, ‘Bishop Jonathan Baker has served with great care and dedication as Bishop of Ebbsfleet, and I – along with all the priests and lay people he has ministered to in the last eighteen months – am very grateful to him for his work in this role and his service to the Church of England more widely. I wish him every blessing in his ministry among the parishes of the See of Fulham.’

A process of consultation to identify Bishop Baker's successor as Bishop of Ebbsfleet will begin within the next few weeks, which will be completed by the next Archbishop.

And from Forward in Faith [here]

Bishop Jonathan said, ‘I am delighted to be taking up this new post, though of course very sorry to be leaving the priests and people of the Ebbsfleet parishes after such a relatively short time as their bishop. I am looking forward enormously to leading the Fulham parishes and to playing my part in the mission of the church in London across the Diocese.
I am assured that the process of appointing a new Bishop of Ebbsfleet is already underway, and so in due course I am confident that my move will lead to a strengthening of the team of catholic bishops in the Church of England at this critical time.
After having spent the whole of my ministry thus far in the Diocese of Oxford, it will be very good to be living and working in the heart of London for, having grown up in the capital, it will represent something of a homecoming for me.
I will, of course, continue to serve as Chairman of Forward in Faith.’

FiF Secretary Fr Ross Northing, who also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Ebbsfleet Council of Priests, added:  ‘Whilst we are naturally sad to be losing Bishop Jonathan from the Ebbsfleet area so soon, we nevertheless rejoice that he has been given this wonderful opportunity to minister to our brothers and sisters in the Fulham area.  He will leave Oxford with our prayers and very best wishes.’


Only one comment: This is undoubtedly a positive move, particularly if there is a quick appointment to the Ebbsfleet post; it's now clear from recent episcopal appointments in the Church of England that, whatever happens in November, it has become possible for an orthodox Catholic remnant to survive at least for a limited period  and in certain parts of the country.  Beyond that I don't think we can venture at present...