Priest shocked to be Salford Roman Catholic diocese's first African canon

Salford Cathedral will be 175 years old in 2023

A priest has said becoming a Roman Catholic diocese's first African canon left him "gobsmacked".

Father Michael Job has become the first black man to hold the position at the Salford diocese.

The 47-year-old, who has been parish priest of St Mary's in Failsworth, said he "didn't know what to do" when he was told he would be given the role.

Father Paul Daly and Father Michael Jones were also made canons at Salford Cathedral.

Fr Job, who hails from Ogun State in south-west Nigeria, was ordained a priest in his homeland 20 years ago before moving to the UK and joining the Salford diocese in 2011.

He said it was "a great honour, but also a great responsibility to be one of the priests advising the bishop".

"I was shocked when the bishop told me - gobsmacked," he said.

"I didn't know what to do."

He becomes one of eleven canons who act as a consultative body for the bishop, helping him govern the diocese.