Lichfield’s MP has raised the issue of training for religious leaders in a House of Commons debate.
Michael Fabricant discussed whether more could be done to support future Deans in a question to Andrew Seous MP during the Church Questions session.
The Conservative MP said the work carried out by the current Dean of Lichfield, The Very Rev’d Adrian Dorber, who has announced he will retire in the coming weeks.
After hearing Mr Seous accept an invitation to visit Lichfield Cathedral, Mr Fabricant added:
“My Right Hon Friend will see the Herkenrode Glass, which has been beautifully restored, and he will hear the magnificent organ where £6million had to be raised in order to make it sound so beautiful.
“This is a reminder to me that a Dean’s work is not just spiritual – it’s fundraising, it’s management, and all the other activities that go on in running a great and successful cathedral like the one in Lichfield.
“So can I ask my Hon Friend;what sort of training is given to newly appointed Deans?
“It seemed to me that poor Adrian Dorber had to learn on the job. Can’t we do something to improve that?”
Michael Fabricant
Mr Seous replied:
“You would think that Lichfield Cathedral was the only cathedral of the Church of England, because my Hon Friend is one of the very few members in this House who regularly stands up for his or her cathedral.
“Running a cathedral, as he quite rightly says, is not only a major spiritual undertaking to proclaim the good news of Jesus, it is also a huge management task, which is why we require all new Deans to undertake a component of an MBA module before taking up office.”
Andrew Seous
The full exchange can be viewed below:
