The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Mary Gregory, Canon Residentiary for Arts and Reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral, for nomination to the Suffragan See of Reading, in the Diocese of Oxford, in succession to Bishop Olivia Graham, following her retirement.
Background
Mary was educated at Birmingham University and St John’s College, Durham and trained for ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham. She served her title at St Lawrence, Hatfield, in the Diocese of Sheffield and in 2006, was ordained priest. From 2008, Mary served as Rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Kirk Sandall and Edenthorpe and from 2013, she was additionally appointed Dean of Women’s Ministry.
In 2015, Mary was appointed Team Rector of the Flagstaff Family of Churches, in the Diocese of Leicester, also serving as Diocesan Rural Mission Enabler from 2020. Mary has served in her current role as Canon Residentiary for Arts and Reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral since 2022.
John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry writes:
"We are delighted that Canon Mary Gregory has been chosen to be the new Bishop of Reading. She will bring passion for God and all God’s people, along with excellent and imaginative leadership to the Reading Episcopal Area, and the Diocese of Oxford as a whole. Her commitment to making all feel welcome and honoured in the church, both those who are already part of the church community as ministers, members and volunteers and also those who do not consider themselves part of the church family is outstanding.
In her three years in Coventry Cathedral Mary has led us significantly forward in our journey towards being a welcoming, safe and inclusive place for all people, with arts and reconciliation at its core. Her pastoral gifts and creativity have been deeply valued by those within and beyond the Cathedral congregation. During her time with us, she has inaugurated and led the monthly ‘Wonder’ congregation, a new worshipping community ‘for the wonderers, and the wanderers – exploring questions of faith through the arts’. Working closely with the arts and events team, she has seen us develop our curatorial voice, using our arts programme to explore and communicate our commitment to reconciliation with God and one another. She has covered for almost a year the role of Canon for Worship, establishing our ‘Reconciliation’ season through November, around the time of Remembrance and the anniversary of the Coventry blitz. As leader of our Reconciliation ministry, she has drawn together the Reconciliation team, and led us forward in collaboration across the whole Cathedral team around this core purpose. In her preaching and teaching she has consistently and beautifully drawn us into the reimagined future into which we are called as followers of Christ in the world.
We have been delighted to welcome Mary as part of this community for almost three years, as a person with outstanding gifts in the service of Christ in the church and the world. Her impact in the Cathedral will remain as she moves on. We will miss her, but rejoice that her vocation to episcopal ministry in the Diocese of Oxford has been recognized and affirmed in this important appointment."
Bishop Ruth, Acting Bishop of Coventry writes:
"This is very exciting news for both Mary and Oxford diocese although a sad day for us in Coventry. We have all greatly appreciated the ministry of Mary within the Cathedral and across the diocese. Her deep wisdom, joyous wonder and commitment to working out the ministry of reconciliation day by day have been an inspiration to us all!"
Canon Mary Gregory says:
"Being at Coventry Cathedral over the last three years has been such a gift. Here, I have encountered a world-changing story and inspiring people, and shared real, important work with wonderful colleagues. It will be such a wrench to leave a city I have come to love, and a community that has welcomed and loved me. But life with God is an adventure, full of surprises, and I am sure that God is now inviting me to this new work as Bishop of Reading. Into that role, I will take my commitment to reconciliation and my absolute conviction that God loves and welcomes all of us."