St Peter's Parish News
Thursday 1 January 1970
Appointing a new Bishop of St Albans
When Bishop Alan retires at the end of May, there will be a vacancy in the episcopal See of St Albans. This is a significant moment for our diocese as we begin the process of discerning who God is calling to be our next diocesan bishop. The appointment process takes time – the approximate timescale is as follows:
- 6 May 2025: A Public Consultation Meeting took place last Tuesday
- 4 March 2025: Main meeting of the Vacancy in See Committee
- 1 June 2025: See of St Albans will fall vacant
- 4 December 2025: Crown Nominations Committee (CNC) meet for first time
- 20 & 21 January 2026: Further CNC meetings. It is expected that the CNC will take about a year to recommend candidates to the Prime Minister. An announcement will follow several weeks later
- Second half of 2026: Formal appointment and arrival of the new bishop
During the vacancy, Rt Revd Richard Atkinson, the Bishop of Bedford, will serve as Acting Diocesan Bishop, supported by Bishop Jane and our honorary assistant bishops, who will take on additional responsibilities to ensure the smooth running of the Diocese. Everyone in the Diocese is invited to pray for all those involved in consultations, committees, and interviews during this time of transition. For full details of the process during the Vacancy in See, visit the diocesan website:
www.stalbansdiocese.org 
