John Goddard (bishop)

Goddard studied theology at St Chad's College, Durham, and graduated from Durham University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1969.{{Crockford| surname = Goddard | initials = John William | id = 28674 | accessed = 22 June 2018}} He then gained a Diploma in Theology (DipTh).[http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page2834 Number 10 — Suffragan See of Burnley (National Archives)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402040551/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page2834 |date=2012-04-02 }}

Goddard was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1970 and as a priest in 1971. He began his ordained ministry as a curate at St John's Southbank[http://www.stjohnssouthbank.com/ Church website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905160224/http://www.stjohnssouthbank.com/ |date=2008-09-05 }} before continuing as a curate at Cayton and Eastfield (Scarborough) under the guidance of Alan A. Millar. He then held two incumbencies in Middlesbrough and became the rural dean. From 1988 to 1992 he was vice principal of Edinburgh Theological College and then rector of Ribbleton before his ordination to the episcopate.

Goddard was consecrated a bishop on 7 December 2000 by David Hope, Archbishop of York. On 9 December 2000, he was installed as Bishop of Burnley, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Blackburn.

Goddard retired on 19 July 2014.

He has expressed the belief (2012) that there are no totally rural parishes in the Diocese of Blackburn, which includes large swathes of farming communities and extensive rural areas such as the Forest of Bowland. This is because most of the rural areas in the villages have residents whose involvement in commercial, academic, professional and urban matters reflect a more suburban character.

At the November 2012 meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, Goddard was one of the three members of the House of Bishops who voted against the ordination of women as bishops.{{cite web |title=Half of women bishops opponents in Synod were women |website=The Daily Telegraph |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516185632/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9703820/Half-of-women-bishops-opponents-in-Synod-were-women.html |archive-date=2023-05-16 |url-status=live |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9703820/Half-of-women-bishops-opponents-in-Synod-were-women.html}}{{Cite web|title=Almost half the lay members who voted against female bishops were women|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/nov/26/church-radical-strategy-female-bishops-memo|first=Lizzy|last=Davies|date=26 November 2012|accessdate=19 August 2021|work=The Guardian}}

It was announced on 21 May 2021 that Goddard would be received into the Roman Catholic Church on the Feast of Pentecost, 23 May, by the auxiliary bishop of Liverpool.{{Cite web|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2021/6-august/gazette/personals/personal|title=Personal}} On 2 April 2022, he was ordained to the priesthood by Tom Williams during a service at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral; and serves as a priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool.{{cite news |last1=Caldwell |first1=Simon |title=Why these Anglican bishops are becoming Catholics |url=https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/15117/why-these-anglican-bishops-are-becoming-catholics |access-date=13 March 2022 |work=The Tablet |date=11 March 2022 |language=en}} In April 2023, he was appointed a Chaplain of His Holiness, and thereby granted the title "Monsignor".{{cite news |last1=Caldwell |first1=Simon |title=Pope promotes former Anglican bishop who became priest |url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/pope-promotes-former-anglican-bishop-who-became-priest/ |access-date=13 May 2023 |work=Catholic Herald |date=20 March 2023}}

Goddard did not join the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, a canonical structure created for former Anglicans who had joined the Roman Catholic Church which has its own missal, but instead incorporated into the Archdiocese of Liverpool. His first post was as an assistant priest at St Oswald's Church, Longton. In September 2023, he was appointed parochial administrator of Our Lady Help of Christians, Tarleton.{{cite web |title=Latest News |url=https://www.stagneseccleston.co.uk/current-events |website=St Agnes Eccleston |access-date=31 March 2024 |language=en |quote=Mgr. John Goddard will become parochial administrator of Our Lady Help of Christians in Tarleton.}}{{cite web |title=24 SEPTEMBER 2023 – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time |url=https://ourladystarleton.co.uk/newsletter/24-september-2023-25th-sunday-in-ordinary-time/ |website=ourladystarleton.co.uk |publisher=Our Lady, Help of Christians |access-date=31 March 2024}}

Goddard is a keen narrowboater.Debrett's People of Today London, 2008 Debrett's, {{ISBN|978-1-870520-95-9}} He is married to Vivienne. Together they have two children; Michael and Gareth.

• The Reverend John Goddard (1971–1987)
• The Reverend Canon John Goddard (1987–2000)
• The Right Reverend John Goddard (2000–2021)
• The Reverend John Goddard (2022-present)

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{{Bishops of Burnley}}

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Category:1947 births

Category:Alumni of St Chad's College, Durham

Category:21st-century Church of England bishops

Category:Bishops of Burnley

Category:Living people

Category:Anglican bishop converts to Roman Catholicism

Category:Married Roman Catholic clergy

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