News Story
For Immediate Release
Jamaican-born Bishop of Dover to Preach at Anglican Anniversary Service
The Rt. Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Jamaican-born Bishop of Dover, England, will be the Preacher this weekend at the Launch Service to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Diocese of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands (Anglican). Bishop Hudson-Wilkin, who was consecrated in 2019, is a former Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth 11 and the Speaker of the House of Commons.
The upcoming Anniversary Service will be held at the historic Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega, Spanish Town, on Sunday, February 11 at 3.30 pm. The Cathedral, which at the establishment of the Diocese in 1824 was known as the St. Catherine Parish Church, was the venue for the installation of the first Bishop of Jamaica, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Christopher Lipscomb, in 1825. His most recent successor, The Most Rev. Dr. The Hon. Howard Gregory was consecrated there in 2012 as the 14th Diocesan Bishop and in 2019, the Cathedral also hosted the Service at which he was officially recognized as the 13th Archbishop of the West Indies, Primate and Metropolitan.
The Service will be attended by civic leaders, and representatives of the ecumenical fraternity, as well as clergy and members of the Diocese of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands.
Commenting on the Anniversary milestone, Archbishop Gregory states that the history of the Diocese “is closely linked to that of this country and the development of the Church in the Caribbean, which today, is a self-governing Province in the worldwide Anglican Communion which has some 80 million members in more than 165 countries worldwide.”
More than Hype
However, he asserts that the celebration, which culminates in February 2025, is not just about the hype and showcasing the achievements of the Anglican Church. He says it will provide an opportunity to reflect on the shortcomings of the Diocese and plan for the future, while at the same time, encouraging members to sustain and enhance the work and ministry of the Church.
Among other objectives listed by the Archbishop are the need to address the negative public image of the Anglican Church, due mainly to its links with the governing elite during the period of slavery.
“As we step into a new era, we must also look to the future. For the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, the focus will be on Renewal and Transformation,” Archbishop Gregory charges.
He notes that the Church’s programmes and outreach activities are being redesigned to meet the physical and spiritual needs of people where they are, and with the help of technology, he says the Gospel Message is already being taken “outside of our buildings to Anglicans and non-Anglicans alike.”
Highlights of the Anniversary year include a National Service on July 21 at which the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, will be the Preacher; the launch on July 24 of a Commemorative Stamp, featuring St. Saviour’s Church in Harewood, St. Catherine, which was the first Anglican church consecrated in Jamaica; and a Diocesan Evangelistic Mission between September 2024 and January 2025. The Mission will be mounted in Deaneries which are represented in all the parishes of the island.
The Calendar of Events will also feature several churches, schools and other Diocesan institutions which will observe major anniversaries – many over 100 years – during the celebration period.
