October 28, 2005

The Standing Committee of the Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Belize has received with pleasure the news of the appointment of the Rev. Canon Philip Wright to be the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of Belize in succession to the Rt. Rev. Sylvestre Romero who resigned in 2004.

Canon Wright is a Belizean born in Belize City on 10th February 1967. His earliest education was in Anglican Schools at St. John's Infant and Primary and later at Wesley College and Belize Technical College.

After a couple of years as a high school teacher at Nazarene High School and the Belize Technical College, Canon Wright answered the call to the ordained ministry and commenced preparation in1989 at Codrington College (seminary) in Barbados from where he graduated in 1992. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology (Honors) and a Diploma in Ministerial Studies from the University of the West Indies and the degree of Master of Arts in Theology from the University of Birmingham in England.

Canon Wright was ordained in 1992 to the Sacred Order of Deacons and in 1993 to the Sacred Order of Priests. He has served the church in the pastoral and teaching ministries having taught at such Anglican institutions like Anglican Cathedral College, in various parishes and in several capacities and several Diocesan Committees. He is presently the Priest-in-Residence at St. Ann's Parish, Belmopan. He has also been for the past number of years the Director of the Anglican theological Institute, responsible for the training of individuals for leadership roles in the church and the ordained ministry.

Canon Wright is the son of Mrs. Loretta Wright and Mr. Philip Wright Sr. He has three brothers and three sisters. He comes from a family prominent among leaders of the church in Belize. He is a cousin of Bishop the Rt. Rev. Dorrick Wright of the Roman Catholic Church and is also a nephew of Revd. Lloyd Wright the late Pastor of Bethel Assembly. At age 38 Canon Wright will become the youngest Bishop in the Province when he is consecrated on the 17th November 2005.

Anglican Communion News Service, London