David Hope to retire from Ilkley

"a great servant of this nation, the Church and Yorkshire" - Dr John Sentamu

Fr Hope, 66, became Priest-in-Charge at St. Margaret's Ilkley in March 2005, after his nine-year term as Archbishop of York, has retired.

Lord Hope of Thornes (as he became on leaving Bishopthorpe) will continue to serve as Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Bradford, and to speak in the House of Lords.

"Although I do this with great reluctance, I felt I had no alternative," he said.

"The Bishop of Bradford and the people of St Margaret's have been enormously supportive and understanding.

"It's an excellent parish with some great things going on and I shall be very sad to go."

The Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd David James, said, "David Hope has achieved an enormous amount in a short space of time.

"He has taken the parish forward and helped it look outwards into the community as well as upwards to God.

"I know the parish will be as disappointed as he is at his resignation, but I know they will continue to support the parish priest they have grown to love dearly and respect highly."

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said, "David Hope is a great servant of this nation, the Church and Yorkshire.

"The love and respect for him is still very much in evidence through my conversations with those at all levels of the Church and from people of all faiths and none.

"He is a Christian who listens to God and weighs up all the evidence before him with great care and sensitivity.

"I'm glad I visited him in February when his health and parish ministry were in full bloom.

"I'm sure he will continue to fulfil the ministry to which God has called him, which will now take on a different shape and form."