New Dean for Auckland’s Anglican Cathedral

For immediate release Sunday, August 12, 2007

New Dean for Auckland’s Anglican Cathedral

Parnell’s landmark Holy Trinity Cathedral, mother church for Anglicans in the Diocese of Auckland, has a new Dean.

And at 42, Ross Bay – who’s presently Vicar of St Mark’s, Remuera, and Archdeacon of Auckland – will be seen as further evidence of an emerging new generation of Anglican Church leaders.

The Anglican Bishop of Auckland, The Rt Rev John Paterson, says he is delighted to announce Ross Bay’s appointment.

“He’s young,” says Bishop John, “he’s enthusiastic, and he’s a highly respected parish priest. Not only does he have my full confidence, he has the trust and confidence of his colleagues. I am very pleased.”

Ross Bay was born and raised in Papatoetoe, and went to Papatoetoe High School before starting his working life at the Bank of New Zealand. After his theological training, he served a stint as an assistant priest at the Cathedral from 1990 to 1992, under Dean John Rymer.

That experience gave him a glimpse of the role the Cathedral can play as the mother church to Anglicans in this city, and to Anglicans in the wider Auckland diocese.

Fifteen years later, Ross sees that task as more important than ever.

“There’s an increasing trend,” he says, “towards ‘congregationalism’ in the Anglican Church – that is, for individual parishes to do their own thing without a sense of being part of something much bigger. The Cathedral can really draw the Church together, and be the heart of the diocese.”

The Cathedral’s new Dean will be the Vicar of Parnell – but his role is far bigger than that. He serves the wider Diocese, which stretches to Cape Reinga in the north, and to Coromandel in the east; and he has a key responsibility in relating to the two other cultural streams in the Anglican Church (Tikanga Maori and Tikanga Polynesia) – as well as being a “face” for the Anglican church in the city of Auckland.

The new Dean-elect has been a priest for 18 years, and has served the Diocese of Auckland in a wide range of roles.

But there’s not too much risk that Ross Bay will float off into the religious stratosphere – because for the last 17 years he’s also turned out at all times of the night and day to help fight fires.

He’s a Station Officer for the Auckland Volunteer Fire Police – a unit which handles scene safety, crowd and traffic control when the Fire Brigade is called to an emergency.

“I have many friends in the emergency services,” he says, “and working with them helps keep me grounded.”

Ross is married to Jacquie, who is a secondary school teacher at Auckland University’s Liggins Institute.

He will take up his new role as the Dean of the Cathedral in November.

ENDS

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