LONDON
Pope Leo XIV on Saturday appointed a Goan-origin Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham, Timothy Francis Menezes, as the new Bishop of Brentwood, England.
Incidentally, Bishop-designate Timothy’s Episcopal Installation as Bishop of Brentwood will take place at the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Helen, Brentwood, on December 3, which marks the Feast of the ‘Goencho Saib', St Francis Xavier.
Goans in the Brentwood Diocese have reacted with joy to the announcement of Bishop Timothy as the new shepherd to the faithful of the diocese.
Bishop-designate Menezes, who succeeds Bishop Alan Williams as the eighth Bishop of Brentwood, was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham, on July 18, 1970. His father hails from Goa, while his mother is Irish.
He was ordained priest at St Dunstan’s in Kings Heath on 22 July 1995, his childhood parish church where he was baptised, received First Holy Communion and was confirmed.
He was awarded a licentiate in sacred liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Saint Anselm in Rome (1996), and went on to serve as parish vicar of Saint Michael in Wolverhampton (1996-1998), associate lecturer at the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham (1996–2004), parish curate at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Redditch (1998–2000), lecturer in liturgy at Saint Mary’s College, Oscott (1998–2011), private secretary to the archbishop of Birmingham (2000–2004), parish priest at Saint Thomas More, Coventry (2004–2011), vicar general (2011–2019), canon of the Chapter of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Chad (2011–2024), dean of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Chad (2019–2024), Prelate of Honour to His Holiness (2012); member of the Liturgical Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (2000–2024), and expert on the English International Commission on Liturgy (ICEL) (2002–2024).
He was appointed an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Birmingham by Pope Francis on April 25, 2024, and was ordained Bishop on July 16, 2024.
In a statement released on the website of the Diocese of Brentwood, Bishop Timothy said: “It is a great privilege to be appointed by Pope Leo XIV as Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood. I’m aware there will be much to learn, so I ask the Lay Faithful, the Clergy and the Religious of the diocese to pray for me, and with me, in our shared mission as Pilgrims of Hope in a world in need of hope.
“I am grateful for all those who have shaped my life, faith and priestly ministry in the Archdiocese of Birmingham over many years.
“I look forward to building on Bishop Alan’s good work in the diocese and pray that Christ the Good Shepherd will help us all to be a people of thanksgiving for his many blessings, and to show his compassion to those in most need.”
Expressing delight at the appointment of Bishop Timothy Menezes as the new Bishop of Brentwood, Bishop Alan Williams described the Diocese of Brentwood as a diverse and welcoming community of parishes and schools in Essex and East London.
