The Rev. Rosalyn Murphy, vicar of St. Thomas’ Church in Blackpool, will become prior of the Community of St. Anselm in April. She succeeds the Rev. Anders Litzell, prior since the community’s launch in 2015.
Murphy has served as a training facilitator for curates and new priests in four Church of England dioceses. She is a published biblical scholar, bringing a liberation and womanist theological perspective to her research.
“I’m delighted that Rosalyn is coming to join the Community of St Anselm as prior,” said Archbishop Justin Welby, the community’s abbot. “Not only does she bring a wealth of pastoral and teaching experience, she embodies many of the central themes of our community life, which are focused on rooting young people in Jesus. Rosalyn’s personal story, significant ministry experience, and the fact she is from another part of the Anglican Communion are gifts, enhancing the diverse team who collaboratively lead this community.”
“Serving within a monastic community, where there will be opportunities to teach, pastor, and learn from the diverse cultural and social experiences of others, will be a welcome challenge,” Murphy said. “I believe being part of the community will allow me to play a meaningful role in shaping the future Church on an international scale.”
Born in Texas, Murphy spent most of her life in Wisconsin, where her father was an ordained Pentecostal minister in the Church of God in Christ, and her mother served as the diocesan leader of women’s ministry. She has an honors degree in communications and theology from Marquette University, and completed postgraduate studies in international relations at the University of Wisconsin.
She completed her master’s degree in divinity from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, before moving to England. While living in England, Murphy completed a master’s in theological research, and a doctorate in theology from Durham University before her ordination in 2005.
She has lived in the United Kingdom for nearly 20 years with her husband, Kenneth, a retired entrepreneur and priest. She has two grown children.
Adapted from the Community of St. Anselm
Related reading: Rosalyn Murphy at Cardus
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
