New Bishop of Monmouth Cherry Vann can help 'unify' Church

Cherry Vann is a piano and violin graduate at the Royal College of Music

The first female Bishop of Monmouth has been consecrated at a ceremony in Brecon Cathedral.

More than 400 people saw Cherry Vann become only the 11th person to hold the position, since the diocese was formed in 1921.

The 60-year-old former Archdeacon of Rochdale replaces the Right Reverend Richard Pain who retired last year.

The Rev Robert Lawrence said Bishop Vann could be a "point of unity" at a time of disunity within the church.

A piano and violin graduate at the Royal College of Music, Bishop Vann has spent the last 11 years in the diocese of Manchester.

She previously said the challenges facing churches in south east Wales were similar to those in the north west of England.

Bishop Vann will be enthroned at Newport Cathedral on 1 February

She was consecrated on Saturday by the Archbishop of Wales, John Davies, anointed with holy oil and presented with the symbols of her office, including a bishop's episcopal ring, a pectoral cross and mitre.

The address was given by Bishop Vann's friend, Mr Lawrence, a member of the Society of St Francis from the Diocese of Newcastle.

He said: "A bishop is a point of unity, except that in the church today we seem to find disunity when the bishop is a woman in a church where not everyone accepts the leadership of women.

"Or when the bishop is in a same sex civil partnership in a church where not everyone accepts gay relationships. And where the bishop is English in a Welsh diocese.

"What has characterised Cherry's ministry has been to work positively with those who see things differently, for example her willingness to work with those who have been against the ordination of women, and (more recently) on the Pastoral Advisory Group on how the Church of England attends to human sexuality.

"Her insight and spiritual resources equip her to lead and to be an ambassador, which means turning up and getting involved in the hard stuff."

Bishop Pain, who served the Diocese of Monmouth for 34 years, left due to ill health months after speculation about a clash with members of his team.

The position was previously held by Rowan Williams, between 1991 and 2002, before he became the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Bishop Vann will be enthroned at Newport Cathedral on 1 February.