Cardiff to get its first ever female bishop

CARDIFF is about to gain its first ever female bishop, following the appointment of June Osborne as the new Bishop of Llandaff.

Her appointment comes on the heels of the election in November of Joanna Penberthy as Bishop of St Davids.

The governing body of the Church in Wales voted to allow women to become bishops in 2013.

Dean June was the first female dean to be appointed to a medieval cathedral and will now be responsible for a diocese serving most of Cardiff, the South Wales Valleys and the Vale of Glamorgan.

She was one of the first women to be ordained as a priest in England in 1994, having been a Deaconess since 1980.

The existing bishops were responsible for her appointment because no candidate nominated at the Electoral College in February secured enough votes for election.

There was controversy when reports suggested the Dean of St Albans, the Very Rev Jeffrey John, who is in a celibate civil partnership, had received more than half the votes but failed to win the required two-thirds majority.

He wrote to the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Davies, saying it was “ludicrous” it was then decided that “those who were discussed at the Electoral College were now, in fact, no longer to be considered”.

Dr John also claimed he was told it would be “too much of a headache” to appoint him. The Church in Wales has “strongly” denied allegations of homophobia.

Dean June’s appointment will be confirmed on July 14 at a meeting of the “Sacred Synod of Church in Wales Bishops” in Brecon Cathedral. She will be consecrated as Bishop the following day and enthroned at Llandaff Cathedral on July 22.

The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon – who is the church’s senior bishop following the retirement of Archbishop Barry Morgan – said: “June’s track record admirably demonstrates her passion for Christian ministry modelled on the Gospel imperatives of love, justice, inclusivity and openness.

“All of these are qualities which I and my fellow bishops warmly support and welcome. She is known as a leader with clear vision, a pastoral heart and a strategic mind, all of which commend the Church to the wider community.”

Dean June said: “It is a very great privilege to be nominated as Bishop of Llandaff, an ancient post with many noble predecessors. It will be something of a homecoming for the family, particularly because my husband is from Cardiff and it is a place we know and love.

“Leading a diocese that is so diverse, in an area that is both historic and beautiful, will be challenging but I have an enormous appetite for the task and am deeply honoured to have the opportunity to join a diocesan team which is strong and imaginative.

“These are turbulent times across the world and the need for faith, and for the confident, distinctive leadership of the Church has never been more important.”

Dean June graduated in Social Sciences from Manchester University and trained for ministry at St John’s College, Nottingham and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.

She is married to barrister Paul Goulding QC and they have two children, Megan and Tom. She is a lifelong Manchester City supporter.