An Anglican bishop opposed to the ordination of women has resigned to join the Roman Catholic church.
Jonathan Goodall, the bishop of Ebbsfleet for the past eight years, said he had reached his decision “after a long period of prayer, which has been among the most testing periods of my life”.
He is the first Church of England bishop to join the Roman Catholic church in a decade. His ministry in the C of E will end next week.
Goodall was appointed as a provincial episcopal visitor, more commonly known as a flying bishop, to minister to clergy, lay people and parishes who do not accept the ministry of female priests or bishops.
His resignation was announced by Lambeth Palace on Friday. Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, said: “I am deeply grateful to Bishop Jonathan for his ministry and many years of faithful service.”
In a statement, Goodall said: “I have arrived at the decision to step down as Bishop of Ebbsfleet, in order to be received into full communion with the Roman Catholic church, only after a long period of prayer, which has been among the most testing periods of my life.
“Life in the communion of the Church of England has shaped and nourished my discipleship as a Catholic Christian for many decades … I shall always treasure this and be thankful for it.
“I trust you all to believe that I have made my decision as a way of saying yes to God’s present call and invitation, and not of saying no to what I have known and experienced in the Church of England, to which I owe such a deep debt.”
Flying bishops were created in the 1990s after the Church of England voted to allow the ordination of women. In 2020, about a third of clergy were women. In 2014, the C of E voted in favour of female bishops. There are now 25 women out of 108 Anglican bishops.
Welby said he would “be starting a process of consultation with colleagues and others – including the parishes to whom Bishop Jonathan ministers – to determine what the next steps will be”.
Goodall’s departure means that two of the three flying bishop posts will soon be vacant. Some insiders suggest there are fewer candidates available for the posts as female clergy are accepted by the vast majority of churchgoers.
Goodall has been a supporter of The Society, which promotes catholic teaching in the C of E and is opposed to women’s ordination.
A spokesperson for the Catholic church in England and Wales said: “Bishop Jonathan Goodall is warmly welcome in his desire to enter into full communion with the Catholic church, which looks forward to his full participation in the life of the church.”
