A total of 24 men and women were ordained to serve in The Church of England in Lancashire (Blackburn Diocese) during a series of services in the town.

Rt Rev. Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn, ordained this year’s group of Deacons on Saturday (July 1) at Blackburn Cathedral.

There was also the ordination of one ‘Distinctive Deacon’ at the same service and the receiving of one of the Priests.

It follows the installation of Bishop Philip at Blackburn Cathedral at the end of June in a 'vibrant and colourful' service attended by more than 1,000 people.

Meanwhile, the remaining Priests were ordained on Sunday, July 2, during a series of services across the Diocese - at Broughton St John; Christ Church Thornton and Chorley St George - by Bishop Philip, Rt Rev. Dr Jill Duff, Bishop of Lancaster and Rt Rev. Tony Porter, who is an Honorary Assistant Bishop serving in our Diocese.

Prior to the ordination weekend, all the ordinands spent several days on retreat at the Diocesan Prayer and Discipleship centre at Whalley Abbey, in the ruins of the 14th Century Cistercian Abbey in the Ribble Valley.

All Priests and Deacons will serve, or continue to serve, across Lancashire in the following villages and towns: Chorley, Blackburn, Ribbleton, Thornton-le-Fylde, Darwen, West Pendleside, Hoddlesdon, Broughton, Lea, Morecambe, Leyland, Buckshaw, Adlington and Lancaster.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Bishop Philip said: “Ordination Services are always special moments in the life of the Diocese, but this year has been particularly joyful for me personally as these ordinations were my first since becoming Diocesan Bishop. 

“Our ordinands come from all sorts of backgrounds, but they all have several things in common: they are prayerful people with real energy and commitment and a deep sense of God’s presence in their lives.

“I am now excited to see what they will do in our parishes across Lancashire as they are released into ministry.”

Lancashire Telegraph: