Dictionary

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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Deacon

‘Deacon’ comes the Greek word for ‘servant’. Deacons in the Church in Wales have special roles within worship such as proclaiming the gospel. Traditionally, deacons have had responsibility for social care. Deacons often go on to be ordained priest.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Priest

‘Priest’ comes from the Greek word for ‘elder’. Priests in the Church in Wales are those authorised specifically to proclaim forgiveness of sins, preside at the Eucharist and bless God’s people, as well as other responsibilities.

Theological

‘Theology’ means literally ‘words about God’. Christian theology involves our trying to understand and explain what God has revealed about himself through Scripture. This work is aided by the writings of past and present theologians and human reason.

Home News New Bishop of Llandaff elected

New Bishop of Llandaff elected

Provincial news Posted: 19 January 2023

One of the first women to become a priest in Wales will be the next Bishop of Llandaff.

The Rt Revd Mary Stallard, the Assistant Bishop in Bangor, was elected Bishop of Llandaff by the Electoral College of the Church in Wales on the second day of its meeting at Llandaff Cathedral.

The announcement was made at the west door of the Cathedral by the Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, after Bishop Mary secured the necessary two-thirds majority vote.

Archbishop Andrew said, “Bishop Mary has served the Diocese of Bangor with enormous energy, faithfulness and joy. It is a huge privilege for us now to be able to pass her to the Diocese of Llandaff where we know she will bring all of the gifts that she has shown us. We are so delighted for her.”

Bishop Mary said, “It is a real privilege to receive this new call which I will do my very best to live up to faithfully.”

Bishop Mary’s election will be formally confirmed at a Sacred Synod service in April. She will be welcomed as the 73rd Bishop of Llandaff at Llandaff Cathedral on Saturday, April 29, at noon.

The election follows the retirement at the end of December of June Osborne, who served as Bishop of Llandaff from 2017. Llandaff Diocese serves nearly half the population of Wales as it includes most of Cardiff, the South Wales valleys and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Journey of Ministry

Originally from Birmingham, Bishop Mary Stallard grew up in a vicarage. Her father was a vicar and her mother a scientist which meant she was raised in a home where asking questions about life and faith was encouraged.

Mary read Theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge and studied to be a teacher in London before training for ministry at Queen’s College, Birmingham and Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary in India.

Among the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church in Wales in 1997, Mary served her curacy in Newport, before moving to the Diocese of St Davids as deacon-in-charge and vicar of Ysbyty Cynfyn, Eglwys Newydd and Llantrisant. In 2003, she was appointed Canon Residentiary at St Asaph Cathedral and Bishop’s Chaplain, serving also as Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Chair of the Diocesan Board of Ministry, and as Provincial Selection Secretary.

From 2011 to 2018 Mary served as Anglican Chaplain at St Joseph’s Catholic & Anglican High School, as well as being an Associate Priest in the Wrexham Mission Area. She was also co-director of the St Giles’ Centre for Religious Education & Faith Development in Wrexham.

She became Archdeacon of Bangor and associate priest of Llandudno in 2018. In January last year, Mary was appointed Assistant Bishop in Bangor and consecrated as a bishop in February.

Mary’s substantial broadcasting ministry has seen her appear on BBC Radio Cymru as a leader of Yr Oedfa and contributor to Bwrw Golwg, on BBC Radio Wales’s All Things Considered, Celebration, Wednesday Word and Weekend Word, and on Radio 4 as a leader of The Daily Service and Sunday Worship and as the author and presenter of Prayer for the Day.

Mary is married to the Revd Andrew Sully, Ministry Area Leader of Llandudno, and they have two grown-up daughters. Her hobbies include cooking, reading and running.