NEW DEAN FOR LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL

News Posted: 7 April 2024

Bishop Mary is delighted to announce that the Rev’d Canon Dr Jason Bray has accepted her invitation for him to become the next Dean of Llandaff Cathedral.

Jason is originally from Merthyr Tydfil, and he has served his entire ordained ministry in the Church in Wales since his ordination by Bishop Rowan Williams in 1997. Other than during his time at university and training for ministry, he has always lived in Wales and he has liturgical and basic conversational Welsh.

With a doctorate in Theology and a passionate interest in Biblical scholarship, systematics and mediaeval and reformation history, Jason is a published author and skilled teacher of the faith, as well as being a wise and pastoral priest and an experienced church leader. The publication of his book, Deliverance: Everyday Investigations into the Supernatural, about his life and experiences as an Anglican deliverance minister has meant that he is well-known in circles outside the Church in Wales.

Jason is currently Vicar of St Giles’ Wrexham which is part of the Major Churches Network and is Wales’ largest mediaeval parish church. He is also a Canon of St Asaph Cathedral. Jason has strengthened and grown the ministry at St Giles’, developing its civic, media and national links as well as its life of prayer and service whilst working to increase visitor numbers significantly. He is a strategic thinker and future orientated with a pastoral and eucharistic heart.

As a Benedictine oblate, Jason values the importance of community and hospitality in prayer and church life across the Anglican spectrum.

He describes his background and development as a priest as being in a liberal catholic tradition and says that he is comfortable with a diverse range of Christian prayer and worship.

Jason is passionate about social justice and is a strong advocate of mission and outreach to local communities. He has a proven track record in nurturing and pioneering church growth, in growing teams of volunteers, developing work with children, families and young people, as well as creating and running discipleship and spirituality programmes.

In addition, Jason has trained and supported a wide range of clergy seeking to grow into Christ-centred leadership. He has been a spiritual director and taught biblical studies for many years at St Michael’s College and is currently a facilitator for St Padarn’s Theology for Life programme. He is a classical and choral music fan and looks forward to the opportunity of working with the excellent music department at our cathedral.

Jason is married to Laura, and they have two grown-up sons, Thomas and Benedict, and they come with three cats – one of whom considers himself ideally suited as a candidate for the post of Cathedral Cat. They plan to move into the Deanery in July, and we look forward to welcoming them into the diocese.

Please hold Jason, Laura, and their family in your prayers as they prepare for this new chapter. Please also remember the congregation at St Giles’ Wrexham and Llandaff Cathedral at this time of change.

Note

The announcement has been welcomed by Revd Richard Peers, who said:

“I am delighted that Bishop Mary has appointed Fr Jason to succeed me as Dean of Llandaff. Jason is an excellent priest, he will be a blessing to everyone at the Cathedral and in the diocese. This is very good news indeed.”

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