Adapted from the Church in Wales
The Most Rev. Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales, will retire in January after nearly 14 years of leading the province and 24 years as a bishop.
Morgan will retire on his 70th birthday at the end of January. He will also retire as Bishop of Llandaff after more than 17 years. He will continue his work and engagements in both roles until then.
“It has been an enormous privilege to serve as Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Llandaff and to do so during such a momentous era in Welsh life,” Morgan said. “It’s been a roller-coaster ride, but all along I have been sustained and inspired by the people I meet, day in day out, who live out God’s love in every part of Wales through their commitment and devotion to their churches and communities.”
The archbishop’s wife, Hilary, died of cancer early this year, shortly before the Primates’ Meeting convened in Canterbury.
“I would like to thank all those who have supported, shared and upheld me in my ministry over the years, particularly since Hilary’s death — the loss of her love, encouragement, and friendship has been enormously hard to bear.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said, “Barry was one of those on the interviewing panel for my appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury, and was notable for the quality and courtesy of the questions he asked. More than that, his follow-up and every contact since has been gracious, encouraging, and full of the presence of Christ. Caroline and I stayed with him and Hilary about two years ago and we realized the depth of their partnership, the contribution she made to his ministry, and the deep loss he has felt since her death. Barry has been an extraordinary servant of those places where he has ministered, of the Church in Wales and of the whole Anglican Communion. We will miss him very deeply indeed.”
Originally from the small mining village of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen in the Swansea valley, Morgan was elected as the 12th Archbishop of Wales in 2003, following Rowan Williams on his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury.
A graduate of the University of London and Cambridge University, Morgan was ordained as a priest in 1973 and during his ministry served as a university and theological college lecturer and university chaplain, as Rector of Wrexham, and Archdeacon of Meirionnydd before being consecrated as Bishop of Bangor in 1993 and Bishop of Llandaff in 1999. He also served on the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches and on the Primates’ Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion.
