New Bishop of Burnley announced as the Reverend Dr Joe Kennedy

The Reverend Dr Joe Kennedy says he is "delighted and humbled" to take up the role in the summer

The new Suffragan Bishop of Burnley has been announced as the Reverend Dr Joe Kennedy.

The 55-year-old, who succeeds the Right Reverend Philip North, is currently Vicar of Oxton St Saviour in the Diocese of Chester.

The Bishop-designate is married to Emily who works for Oxfam and they have two children.

He said he was "delighted and humbled" to take up the role later in the year and his family was also "thrilled".

Bishop Philip, who is now the Bishop of Blackburn, made the appointment following consultation with a representative group of people from the Diocese before his nomination was approved by the King.

Bishop Philip said "the integrity of his faith" struck the panel, and he would "bring to the diocese a profound and life-changing trust in Jesus Christ; a sincere commitment to mutual flourishing and huge gifts in preaching and teaching".

Bishop Joe was educated at Edinburgh University and at St Hugh's College and Keble College, Oxford, and trained for ministry at St Stephen's House, Oxford.

He served as a Curate in the Diocese of Oxford, at Stratfield Mortimer (St Mary) and Mortimer West End with Padworth, and at Abingdon, and was ordained priest in 2003.

In 2011, he was appointed to his current role as Vicar of Oxton St Saviour, in the Diocese of Chester, additionally serving as a lecturer and tutor at St Mellitus College from 2015 until 2020, and as Rural Dean of Birkenhead since 2021.

His consecration service will be held at York Minster in the summer before a service at Blackburn Cathedral in September.