Pope Francis has appointed Bishop John Sherrington as Archbishop of Liverpool.
Ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Nottingham on 13 June 1987, Bishop Sherrington has been an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of Hilta since 14 September 2011.
Archbishop-elect Sherrington will become the tenth Archbishop of Liverpool in succession to Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP, who has been Archbishop of Liverpool since 2014.
His installation will take place in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on Tuesday 27 May at 12 noon.
Archbishop McMahon said: “I am grateful to God and to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for appointing a bishop to serve this local church, the archdiocese of Liverpool.
“We are receiving a new archbishop with considerable gifts, talents and skills, but most of all we are receiving a man of deep prayer who loves the Lord Jesus and who loves His Church.
“I have had the pleasure to serve with Archbishop-elect Sherrington in the Diocese of Nottingham and in the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and I am delighted to welcome him today.”
Archbishop-elect Sherrington said: “I thank Pope Francis for his trust in me on my appointment as Archbishop of Liverpool which I accept with humility and joy. We pray for our Holy Father at this time of sickness as he recuperates and prepares for Holy Week and Easter.
“I look forward to serving as shepherd of the historic and faith-filled Church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool which is rich in its heritage of the English martyrs, Irish immigration, and now looks to the future.
“Archbishop Malcolm McMahon has served Liverpool Archdiocese with love and generosity, and I am honoured to succeed him … I look forward to building on the foundations already laid in the synodal pastoral plan ‘Together on the Road’ to serve the Church and bring the hope and joy of Jesus Christ to all people.
“In this Jubilee Year, we are a people living the hope of Christ who has loved us, saved us and walks with us.
“We share this hope with other Christians and people of all faiths and good will. I welcome meeting and building friendships with leaders, both Christian and of other faiths, which has always been a strong dimension of the Church here.
“May we receive the fire of the Holy Spirit into our hearts to bring Christ to others.”
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster and the President of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, welcomed the appointment.
He said: “Those who have been following reports on the health of the Holy Father and keeping him in their prayers will know that he has continued his work, including the appointment of bishops.
“I am so pleased that he has appointed our Bishop John Sherrington to be the next Archbishop of Liverpool. Liverpool is, of course, my home diocese and I am delighted that it is to be led by Bishop John.
“In Westminster we know his gifts, dedication and utter generosity only too well. We will miss him greatly. Archbishop Malcolm will welcome him with great joy as, I’m sure, will everyone across the extensive Archdiocese of Liverpool.
“Today we offer our profound thanks to Bishop John for all that he has given to us over these last 14 years, and we assure him, wholeheartedly, of our prayers and constant support.
“And, of course, we continue to hold Pope Francis very much in our prayers, too.”
Biography
Bishop John Sherrington was born in Leicester on 5 January 1958. Before entering the seminary, he graduated with a BA in mathematics from Queens’ College, Cambridge, where St John Fisher was once President. Upon graduation, he worked for a short period in management consultancy. Having been ordained a priest for the Diocese of Nottingham in 1987, and after a short period in a parish, he then completed an STL in Moral Theology at the Gregorian University, Rome.
He lectured in moral theology at All Hallows College, Dublin and St John’s Seminary, Wonersh where he was also a member of the formation staff, before serving as a parish priest from 2004-2011.
Bishop Sherrington was ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of Hilta on 14 September 2011 by the then-Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the co-consecrators being Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and the then-Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham.
He has responsibility for the pastoral care of the parishes and deaneries of North London and is Moderator of the Curia and a Trustee of the Diocese. He is Chair of the Governing Body of Mater Ecclesiae College.
He served on the Methodist Roman Catholic International Commission (MERCIC) for 10 years and was Co-Chair for five years. He was also for some years a Trustee of CAFOD which gave him further insight into the international mission of the Church.
Within the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, he is a member of the Department for Social Justice with responsibility for life issues since 2014, and a member of the Education Department since 2022. He is a member of the governing body of the Anscombe Centre, Oxford, and a Trustee of the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth.
Internationally, he is a member of the Overseas Seminary Committee. He is also a Trustee of the Pontifical Beda College and Venerable English College in Rome, and a Trustee of the Royal English College in Valladolid, Spain.
Archdiocese of Liverpool
The Archdiocese of Liverpool covers the city itself and the surrounding areas including Wigan, St Helens, Southport and the Isle of Man.
(Photo: © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk)