Bishops take up roles around country after St Paul’s service
ONE TO SERVE LOUGHBOROUGH, WHILE ANOTHER LEAVES COUNTY
It was such a privilege to take part in this consecration service which had a double or even triple relevance for Leicester. Bishop Martyn
THREE bishops with a link to the county have been consecrated at St Paul’s Cathedral.
The Rt Rev Saju – full name Malayil Lukose Varghese Muthalaly – was appointed to the role of Bishop of Loughborough during the service.
Also appointed were the Rt Revs Lusa Nsenga Ngoy and Lynne Cullens.
Bishop Lusa, who has been the black, Asian and minority ethnic mission enabler at the Diocese of Leicester for four years, will become Bishop of Willesden.
Bishop Lynne will be Suffragan Bishop to Bishop of Chelmsford the Rt Rev Guli Francis-Dehqani, who was the first Bishop of Loughborough from 2017 to 2021.
Bishop Saju was joined by his family and two of his children, Zipp and Abraham, joined two of Bishop Lusa’s children to say a prayer during the service.
The Bishop-elect made his first visit to Leicester ahead of his consecration service last year, when he spent a night at Curve watching a performance of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe with his family.
For the past seven years, he has been the vicar of St Mark’s and St Mary’s Island in the Diocese of Rochester in Kent.
He was officially installed as Bishop of Loughborough at a Welcome Service in Enderby on Saturday. Introducing himself to the diocese last year, the 42-yearold spoke of his “deep desire” to help those facing poverty, after growing up in a leprosy hospital in Bangalore, India, where his mother worked as a nurse. Following his consecration at the service, he said: “I have been preparing for this service very much aware of what a great privilege it is that people around the world are praying for this moment.
“There is a very strong sense of the wider Church affirming this calling.”
The Rt Rev Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester, said: “It was such a privilege to take part in this consecration service which had a double or even triple relevance for Leicester.
“Leicester can be rightly proud of our track record of gifting to the wider Church bishops who represent different ethnic groups and will help the church to reflect the fullness of life in Christ.”