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Julie Conalty
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| Bishop of Birkenhead | |
Conalty in 2022
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| Diocese | Diocese of Chester |
| In office | 2021 to present |
| Predecessor | Keith Sinclair |
| Other post(s) | Archdeacon of Tonbridge (2017–2021) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1999 (deacon) 2000 (priest) |
| Consecration | 19 July 2021 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1963 (age 60–61) |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Spouse | Simon |
| Children | 2 |
Julie Anne Conalty (born 1963) is a British Anglican bishop. Since 19 July 2021, she has been the Bishop of Birkenhead, one of two suffragan bishops of the Church of England Diocese of Chester.[1] She previously served as Archdeacon of Tonbridge in the Diocese of Rochester since 2017.[2][3]
Conalty trained for the ministry at the South East Institute for Theological Education; she was ordained deacon in 1999, and priest in 2000. She was at East Wickham from 1999 to 2004; and Charlton to 2010.[4] After a curacyatPlumstead Common she was VicarofErith from 2012 until her appointment as Archdeacon.[3]
Conalty was born in 1963.[5] She was educated at Ormskirk Grammar SchoolinOrmskirk, Lancashire: it was a grammar school which became a comprehensive school while she was there.[6] She attended Cottage Lane Mission church and was a member of the youth group, before taking a Biblical Studies degree at the University of Sheffield.[2][7][8] Although she felt called to ordained ministry as a teenager, women could not become priests in the Church of England at that time.[3]
After leaving university, Conalty first worked with the homeless as a night shelter manager between 1985 and 1986.[2][6] She then moved into law enforcement, first as a community support officer (1986 to 1988), and then as a probation officer (1990 to 1999).[6] In between, she trained as a social worker.[9] In the 1990s, she finally trained for ordination on a part-time basis with the South East Institute of Theological Education.[3][7]
Conalty was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1999 and as a priest in 2000.[5] She began her ecclesiastical career as a non-stipendiary minister (ie, part-time and unpaid) in the Diocese of Southwark, while continuing to work in probation and youth services.[2] She first served at St Michael the Archangel, East Wickham from 1999 to 2004, and then at St Luke with Holy Trinity, Charlton from 2004 to 2010.[10]
In 2010, Conalty left her secular career and moved into full-time ministry,[3][11]becoming associate priest of the Plumstead Common United Benefice.[6] In 2012, she moved to the Diocese of Rochester where she had been appointed Vicar of Christ Church, Erith.[7] She was additionally Bishop's Advisor for the Ministry of Ordained Women (2013 to 2017) and Area Dean of Erith (2014 to 2017).[2][10] In 2016, she was made an Honorary CanonofRochester Cathedral.[9] On 24 September 2017, she was collatedasArchdeacon of Tonbridge.[2] She was also the Bishop of Rochester's Lead for Safeguarding.[9]
Conalty has been a member of the General Synod of the Church of England since November 2013.[6][9]
On 27 May 2021, it was announced that Conalty would be the next Bishop of Birkenhead, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Chester.[7][8] She legally took up the post on 19 July 2021, the day of her consecration as a bishop by Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, at York Minster; she was consecrated alongside the other suffragan of the diocese, Sam Corley, Bishop of Stockport.[1]
Since April 2022, she has also been deputy lead bishop for safeguarding with a focus on survivor engagement.[12]
In 2023, she was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".[13]
Conalty is married to Simon, and they have two sons.[9] The Conalty family support South London club Charlton Athletic.[14]
| Church of England titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Archdeacon of Tonbridge 2017 – 2021 |
TBA |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Birkenhead 2021 – present |
Incumbent |
