College of Consultors

The members of the College of Consultors are:

Mgr Tony Barry
Rev Tony Bridson
Mgr Canon John Hull
Mgr Benedict O'Shea
Rev David Parmiter
Rev Paul Turner

Canon Law Summary

Some priests are to be freely selected by the Diocesan Bishop from among the members of the Presbyteral Council to constitute a college of consultors; their number is not to be less than six nor more than twelve; the college is established for a five year term, and is responsible for the functions determined in the law, when the five year term is over, the college of consultors exercises its proper functions until a new college is established.

While the presbyteral council is to “aid the bishop in the governance of the diocese” and is to be heard on “matters of greater importance” according to the norm of law, the college of consultors is “responsible for the functions determined in the law”. The college of consultors has no general functions as does the presbyteral council.

Sede plena, the functions determined are: along with the Diocesan Bishop; accepting the letter of appointment of a Coadjutor Bishop; giving the Bishop advice concerning the naming of the Diocesan Finance Officer; advising the Bishop concerning the removal of the Finance Officer; advising the Bishop concerning more important acts of administration relating to the temporal goods of the church; giving consent for acts of extraordinary administration of temporal goods; in certain cases giving consent to the disposal of temporal goods.

Sede vacante, the college automatically assumes governance of the Diocese until they have elected the Diocesan Administrator. The college assumes the role of the presbyteral council. The Diocesan Administrator needs the consent of the college in order to incardinate or excardinate a cleric once the see has been vacant for one year, to remove the Diocesan Chancellor or other notaries, to grant dimissorial letters for Diocesan clergy.The consultors receive his letters of appointment from the new Bishop.

The college must meet as a group and not be consulted individually. A principle of collegial existence is that the college functions as one and all its members are bound by its decisions. As with the presbyteral council, the bishop presides over the college while not being a member of it, though a member of the college may chair its meetings.

The college, as such, has no other functions other than those determined in law. The Bishop may seek the advice of those priests who form the college of consultors concerning other matters, In the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton the Bishop has chosen to use consult the College regarding parish planning and clergy appointments.

In this Diocese

Details of membership are found at the top of this page