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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Deacon

‘Deacon’ comes the Greek word for ‘servant’. Deacons in the Church in Wales have special roles within worship such as proclaiming the gospel. Traditionally, deacons have had responsibility for social care. Deacons often go on to be ordained priest.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Ecumenical

The Christian Church is divided due to different interpretations of the faith and different religious practices. The ecumenical movement promotes dialogue and understanding between Christians and works for visible unity.

Eucharist

‘Eucharist’ comes from the Greek word for ‘thanksgiving’. At the Eucharist the Church remembers Jesus’ last supper where he gave bread and wine to be his body and blood, a sign of his saving love. See also Holy Communion.

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Llandaff Centre of Mission

A partnership between the Diocese of Llandaff and Church Army.

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Priest

‘Priest’ comes from the Greek word for ‘elder’. Priests in the Church in Wales are those authorised specifically to proclaim forgiveness of sins, preside at the Eucharist and bless God’s people, as well as other responsibilities.

Home News and Blogs New Bishop of Llandaff Mary Stallard to be inaugurated at Llandaff Cathedral

New Bishop of Llandaff Mary Stallard to be inaugurated at Llandaff Cathedral

News Posted: 26 April 2023

People from churches across South Wales will gather at Llandaff Cathedral on Saturday (29 April) to welcome their new bishop. The inauguration of the new bishop of Llandaff will take place at 12pm with a special service of welcome led by the Archbishop of Wales Andrew John.

The Rt Reverend Mary Stallard will be inaugurated as the 73rd Bishop of Llandaff at a special Eucharist service. Bishop Mary will preach the sermon and the Dean of Llandaff Cathedral Richard Peers will install the new bishop in her seat. Clergy and members of the Church in Wales will gather with politicians and ecumenical and inter-faith partners to welcome Bishop Mary. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff Mark O’Toole will also be present.

Let the doors be opened, that we may welcome our Bishop

The service begins at the west steps of Llandaff Cathedral where Bishop Mary will knock the West Door three times with her staff. The Dean will answer saying, “Let the doors be opened, that we may welcome our Bishop.” Wardens of the Cathedral will open the doors and the Dean will welcome the new Bishop of Llandaff with the words, “Bishop Mary, we welcome you to your Diocese and Cathedral Church in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Group photo of bench of Bishops — Bishop Mary (second left) with the Bench of Bishops

Looking ahead to Saturday’s inauguration, Bishop Mary says, “I am honoured to have been elected as Bishop of Llandaff and I look forward to serving God and the diocese. It is a real privilege to receive this call to Llandaff and I will do my very best to live up to it faithfully.

I am committed to working alongside our worshipping communities to understand how best we can serve the diocese

Bishop Mary will use her sermon to call on the churches to be bold and creative in the way we talk about faith, “I am not one for shying away from the challenges facing the church today. We must be bold in our plans to grow the church. We must be creative in the way we share the gospel message of love. And we must do all of this with a prayerful heart.

“Llandaff is a wonderfully diverse diocese which has a strong reputation for speaking out on issues that matter to the people of South Wales. Whether it’s tackling the cost of living crisis, speaking out on social and global justice issues or campaigning against climate change, our churches are making a real difference to our communities. I am committed to working alongside our priests, volunteers, staff team and worshipping communities to understand how best together we can serve the diocese.

“Saturday’s service of welcome will be an important milestone in my vocation, and I am very much looking forward to meeting clergy, staff and volunteers from across our Ministry Areas.”

Bishop Mary with the Archbishop of Wales — Archbishop of Wales welcomes Bishop of Llandaff Mary Stallard

Welcoming Bishop Mary to the diocese, Dean of Llandaff Cathedral Richard Peers, says, “It is a great joy for all of us at the Cathedral to welcome our new bishop to her diocese and cathedral. This is a place of prayer and we are grateful that Bishop Mary has a heart for prayer, formed especially by her relationship with the Taizé Community.

“We are an inclusive community, and we are grateful that Bishop Mary has a heart for inclusion. We are a community bursting to the seams with young people, and we are grateful that Bishop Mary has a heart for young people.

“We pray for Bishop Mary, for her husband Andrew and for their daughters in this new phase of their lives and we look forward to taking them to our hearts in this ministry.”

We are grateful that Bishop Mary has a heart for inclusion

The service of welcome will be livestreamed on the Cathedral’s YouTube Channel.

A Prayer for Bishop Mary

God of all hearts,

send your Holy Spirit into the heart of our new bishop,

that in her love for you

she may find deep love for the people of our diocese.

In her love for us

may she challenge and inspire us,

that strengthened by the gifts of the Spirit

we may be renewed as a church

and enlivened with joy in your service.

Amen

About Bishop Mary

Bishop Mary was among the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church in Wales in 1997, Mary served her curacy in Newport, before moving to the Diocese of St David's as deacon-in-charge and then vicar of Ysbyty Cynfyn, Eglwys Newydd and Llantrisant. In 2003, she was appointed Canon Residentiary at St Asaph Cathedral and Bishop’s Chaplain, serving also as Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Chair of the Diocesan Board of Ministry, and as Provincial Selection Secretary.

From 2011 to 2018 Mary served as Anglican Chaplain at St Joseph’s Catholic & Anglican High School, as well as being an Associate Priest in the Wrexham Mission Area. She was also co-director of the St Giles’ Centre for Religious Education & Faith Development in Wrexham.

She became Archdeacon of Bangor and associate priest of Llandudno in 2018. In January last year, Mary was appointed Assistant Bishop in Bangor and consecrated as a bishop in February 2022.

Mary’s substantial broadcasting ministry has seen her appear on BBC Radio Cymru as a leader of Yr Oedfa and contributor to Bwrw Golwg, on BBC Radio Wales’s All Things Considered, Celebration, Wednesday Word and Weekend Word, and on Radio 4 as a leader of The Daily Service and Sunday Worship and as the author and presenter of Prayer for the Day.

Mary is married to the Revd Andrew Sully, Ministry Area Leader of Llandudno, and now interim Director of Cymorth Cristnogol / Christian Aid Wales and they have two grown-up daughters. Her hobbies include cooking, reading and running.