Clergy praise 'outstanding' Bishop of Portsmouth as he retires after a decade in the role

Bishop Christopher will retire after a farewell service at Portsmouth Cathedral this Saturday.

The 67-year-old will step down as the ninth Bishop of Portsmouth after more than 10 years in the role.

He gave his final interview in post to The News saying everyone had a role to play in improving the world.

His wife, the Reverend Sally Davenport, team rector at Holy Trinity and St Columba, Fareham, will be retiring alongside him.

The Very Reverend Dr Anthony Cane Dean of Portsmouth, said the city had been blessed with an ‘outstanding’ spiritual leader for more than a decade.

He said: ‘(Bishop Christopher has made) the tricky balance between serving the national church and his local diocese look effortless, when in fact it is anything but.

‘It is easy to forget that his richly deserved reputation as a pastoral bishop, who really knew and cared about every corner of the diocese, was only possible through a disciplined programme of travel, by both land and sea.

‘Christopher’s ministry will be much missed, and we offer he and Sally a heartfelt ‘thank you’ as their retirement begins.’

Their departure has prompted fond praise from clergy across the country, with bishops and deans praising the pairs compassion, generosity, and pastoral abilities.

The Bishop of Stepney, the Right Reverend Joanne Grenfell, who worked alongside Bishop Christopher in Portsmouth, said: ‘Together, Christopher and Sally have offered warm

hospitality, drawing colleagues and their families into the friendship of their household.

‘There are legacies in the form of a welcoming, caring diocese which is sharing the gospel in fresh ways with new generations. I am thankful for his friendship and his ministry as Bishop of Portsmouth.’

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The Bishop of Dorchester, the Right Reverend Gavin Collins, who worked alongside the retiring priest as Archdeacon of the Meon, praised the bishop’s pastoral care for his congregations.

The Rt Rev Gavin Collins said: ‘Christopher has been first and foremost a pastoral bishop, seeking to know and to care for his clergy, their families and congregations, and, indeed, the wider communities across the Diocese of Portsmouth.

‘It has been a joy to count Christopher as a friend, a mentor and a colleague in ministry.’

Family friend and contemporary composer Nico Mulhy will provide a unique musical piece during bishop’s leaving ceremony.

Nico Mulhy said: ‘It’s an honour to have been asked to write something for this occasion and I hope that the piece is something that is resonant with everybody present there, no matter what the reason.’

Bishop Christopher called on society to do more to tackle poverty and inequality.

A message from the Editor Mark Waldron

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