Alan Hopes
Encyclopedia
Alan Stephen Hopes, is a Roman Catholic Bishop
in Great Britain. He currently serves as Auxiliary Bishop
of the Westminster
and titular Bishop
of Cuncacestre. He was born in Oxford
, England on 17 March 1944.
He was educated at Oxford High School until he moved to London
in 1956, when he attended Enfield Grammar School
. In 1963 he began a degree in Theology at King's College London
, taking his degree in 1966. He then attended Warminster Theological College and was ordained priest in the Church of England
in 1968.
He served as a priest in the Church of England until 1994 when he converted to the Roman Catholic Church
. He was ordained a priest in the Catholic Church on 4 December 1995. For three years he served as Assistant Priest at Our Lady of Victories in Kensington
, London, before becoming Parish Priest of the Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More Parish, Chelsea
.
In 2001 he was appointed Vicar General
of the Archdiocese of Westminster, and in 2002 became a member of Bishops' Conference Committee for Liturgy and Worship.
At 58, given that at the time he was single (and thus eligible to be ordained to the Roman Catholic episcopate under canon law), he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Westminster on 4 January 2003, making him one of the most senior members of Catholic Clergy to have converted in the 1990s. On 24 January 2003 he received Episcopal Ordination, along with the now Archbishop Bernard Longley
, in Westminster Cathedral
from Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor
. The principal co-consecrating bishops were Bishop Arthur Roche
of Leeds and Bishop Kieran Conry
of Arundel and Brighton.
In October 2010 Bishop Hopes was appointed as Episcopal Delegate of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales for the implementation of the Apostolic Constitution
Anglicanorum coetibus.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in Great Britain. He currently serves as Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Westminster
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in England. The archdiocese consists of all the London boroughs north of the River Thames and west of the River Lea, together with the towns southwest of Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames and...
and titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Cuncacestre. He was born in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England on 17 March 1944.
He was educated at Oxford High School until he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1956, when he attended Enfield Grammar School
Enfield Grammar School
Enfield Grammar School is a boys' comprehensive school in Enfield Town in the London Borough of Enfield in north London.-History:Enfield Grammar School was founded on the 25th. May 1558...
. In 1963 he began a degree in Theology at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, taking his degree in 1966. He then attended Warminster Theological College and was ordained priest in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in 1968.
He served as a priest in the Church of England until 1994 when he converted to the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He was ordained a priest in the Catholic Church on 4 December 1995. For three years he served as Assistant Priest at Our Lady of Victories in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London, before becoming Parish Priest of the Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More Parish, Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
.
In 2001 he was appointed Vicar General
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the Archdiocese of Westminster, and in 2002 became a member of Bishops' Conference Committee for Liturgy and Worship.
At 58, given that at the time he was single (and thus eligible to be ordained to the Roman Catholic episcopate under canon law), he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Westminster on 4 January 2003, making him one of the most senior members of Catholic Clergy to have converted in the 1990s. On 24 January 2003 he received Episcopal Ordination, along with the now Archbishop Bernard Longley
Bernard Longley
Bernard Longley is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was named the Archbishop of Birmingham on 1 October 2009, and installed by Bishop David McGough and presented with his crozier by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, his predecessor, in St Chad's Cathedral at a Solemn Mass on 8...
, in Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
from Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor
Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor is a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster and former President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. He was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in the 2001 Consistory...
. The principal co-consecrating bishops were Bishop Arthur Roche
Arthur Roche
Arthur Roche is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the ninth and current Bishop of Leeds.-Early life and ministry:...
of Leeds and Bishop Kieran Conry
Kieran Conry
Kieran Thomas Conry is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.-Early life and ordination:...
of Arundel and Brighton.
In October 2010 Bishop Hopes was appointed as Episcopal Delegate of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales for the implementation of the Apostolic Constitution
Apostolic constitution
An apostolic constitution is the highest level of decree issued by the Pope. The use of the term constitution comes from Latin constitutio, which referred to any important law issued by the Roman emperor, and is retained in church documents because of the inheritance that the canon law of the...
Anglicanorum coetibus.