Richard Cutts (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Richard Stanley Cutts was the Anglican Bishop of Argentina and Eastern South America
. He acted as Episcopal Commissary for the Falkland Islands
, on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury
, from 1978 until the outbreak of the Falklands War
when Episcopal oversight was transferred to the Bishop to the Forces
. Cutts was born in 1922 and died in 1997.
, and fluent in Spanish
as well as English
, Cutts was educated at Felsted School
in Essex
, England.
He graduated from Kings College London in 1947, being associated with Warminster. He was ordained deacon
in 1951 and priest
in 1952 at Guildford Cathedral
while serving as curate at Godalming
, 1951-1956.
, South Africa
, serving in the missionary district of Etalaneni, Nkandhla, appointed as Director of Missions there from 1957 to 1963, then at Kambula
Mission, also in Zululand, from 1963 to 1965.
In the latter year he transferred to the western interior of South Africa, the Northern Cape
, to take up an appointment as Director of Missions and Rector of St Mary’s, Kuruman, Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman. In 1970 to 1971 Cutts served as Archdeacon
of Kuruman.
A sacristan
who remembers his sojourn in the Northern Cape recalls his listening to tape cassette recordings, while traveling the long distances between towns, to keep up his Spanish.
Cutts was appointed Dean of Salisbury, Diocese of Mashonaland
, in what was then Rhodesia
(now Harare
, Zimbabwe
) in 1971. Here he served until 1975, in which year he was appointed Archdeacon of the City of Salisbury.
of Northern Argentina and of Columbia respectively at the Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist, Buenos Aires
on 12 October 1975.
Bishop Cutts was appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury
’s Commissary in the Falkland Islands
in 1978. In 1982, during the Falklands War
many British troops came under the episcopal oversight of the Bishop to the Forces
.
Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de las Americas
The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion that covers the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay....
. He acted as Episcopal Commissary for the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, from 1978 until the outbreak of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
when Episcopal oversight was transferred to the Bishop to the Forces
Bishop to the Forces
The Anglican church in the British Armed Forces falls under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury, however for all practical purposes the function is performed by the Bishop to the Forces. His full title is "The Archbishop of Canterbury's Episcopal Representative to the Armed Forces"...
. Cutts was born in 1922 and died in 1997.
Early life
Born in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and fluent in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as well as English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Cutts was educated at Felsted School
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England.
He graduated from Kings College London in 1947, being associated with Warminster. He was ordained deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1951 and priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1952 at Guildford Cathedral
Guildford Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Guildford is the Anglican cathedral at Guildford, Surrey, England.-Construction:Guildford was made a diocese in its own right in 1927, and work on its new cathedral, designed by Sir Edward Maufe, began nine years later, with the foundation stone being laid...
while serving as curate at Godalming
Godalming
Godalming is a town and civil parish in the Waverley district of the county of Surrey, England, south of Guildford. It is built on the banks of the River Wey and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt. Godalming shares a three-way twinning arrangement with the towns of Joigny in France...
, 1951-1956.
Africa
In 1956, Cutts went to ZululandNatal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, serving in the missionary district of Etalaneni, Nkandhla, appointed as Director of Missions there from 1957 to 1963, then at Kambula
Kambula
Kambula, Khambula or is a town located at in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.British forces defeated the Zulu nation here in battle in 1879....
Mission, also in Zululand, from 1963 to 1965.
In the latter year he transferred to the western interior of South Africa, the Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
, to take up an appointment as Director of Missions and Rector of St Mary’s, Kuruman, Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman. In 1970 to 1971 Cutts served as Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of Kuruman.
A sacristan
Sacristan
A sacristan is an officer who is charged with the care of the sacristy, the church, and their contents.In ancient times many duties of the sacristan were performed by the doorkeepers , later by the treasurers and mansionarii...
who remembers his sojourn in the Northern Cape recalls his listening to tape cassette recordings, while traveling the long distances between towns, to keep up his Spanish.
Cutts was appointed Dean of Salisbury, Diocese of Mashonaland
Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland
The Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland was formed in 1891 and its first Bishop was The Rt Rev George Wyndham Hamilton Knight-Bruce. He was succeeded by the Rt Revd William Thomas Gaul , formerly Rector of St Cyprian's Church in Kimberley...
, in what was then Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
(now Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
) in 1971. Here he served until 1975, in which year he was appointed Archdeacon of the City of Salisbury.
Bishop in South America
During 1975 Cutts was ordained to the Episcopate, being consecrated as successor to Bishop Tucker as the Lord Bishop of Argentina and Eastern South America and of the Falkland Islands. The consecration was performed by Bishops John Flagg and David LeakeDavid Leake
David Leake was the Assistant Bishop of Northern Argentina from 1969 to 1989 when he became diocesan Bishop and for the latter part of that Episcopate Primate of the Southern Cone. Born on 26 June 1935 to missionary parents serving in Argentina, he was ordained in 1959 and began his career with...
of Northern Argentina and of Columbia respectively at the Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
on 12 October 1975.
Bishop Cutts was appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury
Donald Coggan
Frederick Donald Coggan, Baron Coggan, PC was the 101st Archbishop of Canterbury from 1974 to 1980, during which time he visited Rome and met the Pontiff, in company with Bishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, future Cardinal of England and Wales.-Background:Coggan was born in Highgate, London, England...
’s Commissary in the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
in 1978. In 1982, during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
many British troops came under the episcopal oversight of the Bishop to the Forces
Bishop to the Forces
The Anglican church in the British Armed Forces falls under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury, however for all practical purposes the function is performed by the Bishop to the Forces. His full title is "The Archbishop of Canterbury's Episcopal Representative to the Armed Forces"...
.