On Saturday 22 January, Bishop Paul licensed The Revd Paul Rattigan as the first residentiary Canon Missioner in his Cathedral.
Paul will be responsible for overseeing the cathedral’s work on areas of eco- and social justice ministry, education, children and families work, and pastoral care, as well as developing the Minster’s new partnership with the Christian development charity A Rocha UK.
The first church at Southwell was founded in the eighth century as a ‘Minster’, meaning a church from which clergy would go out to ‘minister’ to the surrounding area at a time when this part of the country was still in the process of accepting Christianity. In our new context, as Nottinghamshire emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, Paul will lead the Minster’s work of engaging in mission with our town, diocese, and county.
Paul comes to Southwell bringing a wealth of experience of mission in both cathedral and parish ministry. Originally from Birmingham, he has lived and ministered in various places. Most recently he has been Canon Chancellor at Leicester Cathedral and Diocesan Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Leicester, and before this was Canon for Discipleship at Liverpool Cathedral.
The Dean of Southwell, the Very Revd Nicola Sullivan, commented:
“I am delighted to welcome Paul into the clergy team at the Minster. He joins at an exciting time of opportunity for the cathedral to be more outward focused in sharing God’s love and hope with our town and diocese.”
Paul is married to Anne, with a grown-up daughter and two grandchildren, living in Nottinghamshire.
Notes to editors:
Canon is the title given to a cleric who is a member of a cathedral and derives from the fact that he or she is bound by the rules or canons of that cathedral. Some canons have specific roles within the life of the cathedral e.g, treasurer, chancellor, missioner or precentor and are known as residentiary canons and, with the dean, form the chapter, which is the governing body of the cathedral, comprising lay and ordained members responsible for the maintenance of worship within the cathedral as well as the governance, policy, strategic vision and financial management of all aspects of the cathedral’s life. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop and serves a diocese.