Former Widnes priest Canon Tom Neylon to be ordained Bishop

The Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon OP, Archbishop of Liverpool, will ordain Canon Thomas Neylon as Bishop of Plestia and Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool at noon in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool.

This will be the first major service to be celebrated in the Metropolitan Cathedral since the beginning of the pandemic and the first Episcopal Ordination in the Cathedral since that of Bishop Tom Williams in 2003.

Canon Tom Neylon, who served as priest at St Julie's Catholic Church in Eccleston for 24 years until 2020, will be the ninth Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool appointed in the history of the archdiocese and will assist Archbishop Malcolm McMahon alongside Bishop Tom Williams.

Among those taking part in the Mass will be the Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican’s representative in Great Britain, His Excellency Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, together with Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Bishops from England and Wales. Priests and parishioners from throughout the archdiocese will also attend with groups coming from Widnes where the Bishop-elect has served most recently and from St Helens where he served for 24 years.

He has also taken responsibility at St Teresa's on Devon Street and English Martyrs, Haydock and was also Dean of St Helens.

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The first reading of the Mass from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (4:1-2,5-7) will be read by Barbara Norris from St Wilfrid’s parish in Widnes.

The music of the Mass will be led by the Choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral under their Director, Dr Christopher McElroy. It will include ‘Praise to the holiest’ by St John Henry Newman; the medieval 'Laudes Regiae', with its Latin refrain 'Christus vincit' which was chanted at the consecration of the Cathedral in 1967, and at many special celebrations since and 'Hail Redeemer, King Divine' will be the recessional hymn which is cherished by the Cathedral as its very own. Prior to the consecration of the present Cathedral, the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone for Lutyens's great cathedral took place in 1933, and for that occasion this new hymn to Christ the King was composed to be sung by the massed crowds.

The homily will be preached by the Right Reverend Paul Swarbrick, Bishop of Lancaster, who studied for the priesthood alongside Bishop-elect Neylon.

The Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon OP KC*HS, Archbishop of Liverpool. Picture by www.nickfairhurstphotographer.com

The Rite of Ordination will include the solemn reading of the mandate from Pope Francis, appointing Canon Thomas Neylon as Bishop of Plestia and Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool. This will be followed by the singing of the Litany of Saints and the Prayer of Consecration and anointing by Archbishop McMahon.

Members of the new Bishop’s family will bring forward the gifts at the offertory of the Mass – his nephews, Joe and Peter Neylon; his brother Joseph Neylon and his sister, Mary Annels – while the choir sings ‘Jubilate Deo’ by Benjamin Britten.

At the conclusion of the Mass the new Bishop will bless the congregation as he is led through the Cathedral by the two co-consecrating Bishops - Bishop Thomas Williams, Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool and Bishop Terence Drainey, Bishop of Middlesbrough – following which the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti and the newly ordained Bishop Thomas Neylon will speak.

Friday, September 3 is the Feast of Pope St Gregory the Great, a man who reorganised Church life and administration and sent Augustine and his monks to evangelise the English.

The Episcopal Ordination will be livestreamed and will be available on the Cathedral’s Facebook page: facebook.com/liverpoolmetrocathedral/ or YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/TheMetropolitanCathedralLiverpool

Bishop-elect Thomas Neylon - biography

Born in Warrington on 16 February 1958 Bishop-elect Thomas Neylon is the oldest of three children of Irish parents who met in Warrington and were married at Sacred Heart Church in the town. His sister Mary lives in Cumbria and brother James in Newton-le Willows.

His family lived in St Oswald’s parish, and he attended the local primary school and then English Martyrs’ Secondary School, Orford. The Bishop-elect began training for the priesthood at St Joseph’s College, Upholland at the age of 16 and then at St Cuthbert’s College, Ushaw, Durham.

Bishop-elect Neylon was ordained on Monday 31 May 1982 in Heaton Park, Manchester by Pope St John Paul II during the Papal Visit. Following ordination his first appointment was as assistant priest at St Cuthbert’s, Wigan and four years later in 1986 he moved to join the Team Ministry serving Skelmersdale.

In1996 he was appointed as parish priest of St Julie’s, Eccleston, St Helens. In 2004 he took on responsibility for St Teresa’s, Devon Street and in 2018 English Martyrs, Haydock.

During his 24 years in St Helens, he was appointed as Dean of St Helens in 2006, was appointed as a Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Liverpool in 2007 and as a member of the Chapter of Canons of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King in 2008.

In September 2020 he was appointed as Parish Priest of St Wilfrid’s, Widnes. It was announced on 6 July 2021 that he had been appointed Bishop of Plestia and Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool by Pope Francis.

In his spare time Bishop-elect Neylon enjoys spending time with his family - his sister and her husband in Cumbria and his brother and his family in Newton-le-Willows. He also enjoys walking, reading and rugby league where he supports Warrington Wolves.

He is the ninth Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool appointed in the history of the archdiocese and will assist Archbishop Malcolm McMahon alongside Bishop Tom Williams.