Westminster Diocese to welcome new Permanent Deacon

Soon to be Rev Johnson lit a candle at Ukrainian Cathedral recently.

A new Permanent Deacon is due to be ordained at Westminster Cathedral on Monday, 10 April. Many diocesan bishops, clergy and parishioners are expected to attend this joyful event.

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018 and as Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. Johnson has been Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip since 2015, having previously been MP for Henley from 2001 to 2008.

The duties of a Permanent Deacon include preaching, performing baptisms and presiding at weddings and funerals. Some may already be employed by the Church, but most will have full-time jobs elsewhere. Candidates must be aged between 35 and 60. Most will be married. Single men will have to be celibate. If a deacon's wife dies he is not expected to remarry. It is important that the deacon's wife is a practising Christian in sympathy with her husband's vocation.

Johnson was baptised a Catholic and later confirmed into the Church of England. In 2020, his son Wilfred was baptised Catholic, Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds were married at Westminster Cathedral on 29 May 2021.

Asked about his faith journey, Johnson modestly said: "Christianity is a superb ethical system and I would count myself as a kind of very, very bad Christian. No disrespect to any other religions, but Christianity makes a lot of sense to me."

After his ordination Rev Johnson will be assigned to a parish close to his home.