All 3 Sydney Cathedral Leaders Support Rick

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Three of the Sydney Diocese’s senior ministers – the rectors of the three Cathedrals – have spoken out on why Rick Smith should be the next Archbishop.

Their statement follows last week’s commendation of Mr Smith from the outgoing and incoming principals of Moore College: John Woodhouse and Mark Thompson.

Sandy Grant, Bruce Morrison and Phillip Jensen, who serve at the Cathedrals in Wollongong, Parramatta and Sydney’s Central Business DIstrict, have 87 years of parish ministry experience between them, with two of them serving on Standing Committee.

Senior Minister of St Michael’s Cathedral Wollongong, Rev Sandy Grant, says Rick is biblically and theologically driven, who grasps clearly the big picture of the gospel of Christ.

Senior Minister of St John’s Cathedral at Parramatta, Rev Bruce Morrison, says he has confidence in Mr Smith to manage the finances of the diocese and confidence that Rick will be able to make wise, strategic appointments.

Dean of St Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney, Phillip Jensen, says we need the man who will lead generational change and Rick as the leader of the next generation is the best man for the job.

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  1. John Bradford

    Philip Jensen is promoting the need for a new, younger leader and he says that Rick Smith should be that person. But Glen Davies is only in his early 60’s.Which seems to be the ideal age for the job especially as Glen is so well qualified. No doubt Glen would appoint Rick as a Bishop and they could be a great team. We should not be obsessed with age. That is to be sucked into a secular obsession with youth.

    1. David Ould

      Thanks for the comment John.

      I think the response you will get to your statement “Glen [sic.] … is only in his early 60’s” is that the normal retirement age is 65 – doesn’t leave much time to do the work. Also, some of Sydney’s greatest Archbishops were installed as relatively “young” men.

      I don’t think it’s an obsession with age, more a recognition that perhaps we underestimate some because of their age.

  2. John Bradford

    I don’t think there is any such thing as a “normal retirement age”anymore. Life expectancy has increased dramatically. If Bishops could go beyond 70 then perhaps Peter Jensen could stay on. Or is he over the hill?

    1. David Ould

      I don’t think there’s any suggestion by anyone that Peter Jensen is “over the hill” as you put it.
      But when it comes to “normal retirement age” the diocese has followed the generally received pattern around us of 65. It then granted Jensen an extension

  3. Justin Moffatt

    68, David. With a possible extension to 70. In the Ordinance. Not 65. Just saying.

    1. David Ould

      thanks Justin. To help our readers, exactly which Ordinance is that?

  4. David Ould

    Thanks Moff. Appreciate you doing the donkey work on that. For our readers (is there anyone left at this stage in the thread?!):

    Part 2 – Retirement Ages

    4. Retirement Ages

    (1) It is a term of the appointment or licensing of a Minister (other than the Archbishop) appointed or licensed after 16 October 1969 that, subject to clauses 5 and 6, such person retires at the Retirement Age.
    (2) It is a term of appointment of a person elected as the Archbishop that, subject to clause 5, such person retires at age 68 years.

    5. Extension of Retirement Age of a Senior Minister

    (1) The age at which a Senior Minister to whom clause 4 applies retires may be extended to an age not beyond 70 years

    (a)

    I stand entirely corrected.

    1. David Ould

      I think I’ve also spotted where my confusion arose. Pursuant to 5(1)(a)(ii), Jensen’s extension was voted on when he passed 65 – but his retirement age at the moment was still 68 years (re 4(2)).

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