Marcus Stock (born 27 August 1961) is an English bishop of the Catholic Church who has been the tenth Bishop of Leeds since 2014.


Marcus Stock
Bishop of Leeds
Bishop Marcus shortly after his episcopal consecration in 2014
ChurchCatholic Church
ProvinceLiverpool
DioceseLeeds
SeeLeeds
Appointed15 September 2014
Installed13 November 2014
PredecessorArthur Roche
Previous post(s)General Secretary, Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales (2009–2014)
Acting Director, Catholic Education Service (2011–2013)
Director of Schools, Archdiocese of Birmingham (1999–2009)
Acting Director of Schools, Archdiocese of Birmingham (1995–1999)
Religious Education Teacher, European School, Culham (1991–1994)
Tutor in Theology, Archdiocese of Birmingham Permanent Diaconate Formation Program (1989–1994)
Orders
Ordination13 August 1988
by Basil Hume
Consecration13 November 2014
by Vincent Nichols
Personal details
Born
Marcus Nigel Ralph Stock

(1961-08-27) 27 August 1961 (age 63)
London, England
NationalityEnglish
DenominationRoman Catholic
Alma materKeble College, Oxford
English College, Rome
Pontifical Gregorian University[1]
MottoDesiderio, desideravi
(I have desired with desire to be with you Luke, 22:15)
Coat of armsMarcus Stock's coat of arms
Styles of
Marcus Stock
Reference styleThe Right Reverend
Spoken styleMy Lord
Religious styleBishop
Ordination history of
Marcus Stock
History
Diaconal ordination
Ordained byBasil Hume (Westminster)
Priestly ordination
Ordained byMaurice Couve de Murville (Birmingham)
Date13 August 1988
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorVincent Nichols (Westminster)
Co-consecratorsBernard Longley (Birmingham)
Arthur Roche (Leeds emeritus)
Date13 November 2014
PlaceCathedral Church of St Anne, Leeds
Source(s):[1]

Early life

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Marcus Nigel Ralph Stock was born on 27 August 1961 in London, England. He attended Oxford University, studying theology at Keble College.[1] He entered training for the priesthood at the Venerable English College and was awarded a Licence in Dogmatic Theology by the Pontifical Gregorian University.[1] He was ordained a Deacon whilst in Rome by Cardinal Basil Hume, the then Archbishop of Westminster.[1]

Priestly ministry

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Marcus Stock was ordained a priest in 1988 by Maurice Couve de Murville, Archbishop of Birmingham, and served in parishes across the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Between 1991 and 1994, Stock was a teacher of Religious Education at the European School, Culham. He was appointed assistant director before being promoted to Director of the Archdiocesan Schools Commission between 1999 and 2009,[1] before being appointed General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales in the same year by Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. He led the Bishops' Conference during the Papal Visit to the UK in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI and was in interim charge of the Catholic Education Service after the resignation of Oona Stannard. Shortly before his appointment as Bishop of Leeds it was announced that he would be succeeded at the Bishops' Conference by Christopher Thomas from the Diocese of Nottingham at the conclusion of his five-year term. In 2012, Marcus Stock was appointed Prelate of Honour by Pope Benedict XVI.

Episcopal career

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Pope Francis appointed Stock to the See of Leeds on 15 September 2014.[2] He chose the episcopal motto Desiderio, desideravi (Luke 22:15) which translates as I have desired with desire to be with you or I have eagerly desired, referring to Jesus' fervent desire to celebrate the Passover with his disciples before his death. Stock attended Solemn Vespers on the eve of his consecration as bishop, where his episcopal insignia (ring, mitre and crozier) were blessed by John Wilson, the Diocesan Administrator (Vicar Capitular) for the Diocese of Leeds. His crozier was given as a gift from Stock's previous diocese, the Archdiocese of Birmingham.[1]

On 13 November 2014, Stock was consecrated the tenth Bishop of Leeds by Vincent Cardinal Nichols, along with the co-consecrators Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham (from the diocese Stock had previously ministered in) and Archbishop Arthur Roche, Apostolic Administrator and Bishop emeritus of Leeds (whom Stock succeeded).

Stock issued a pastoral letter on 25 September 2016 on Sacramental Preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation and the Provision of Youth Services, changing the age at which the sacrament of Confirmation is generally conferred on young people from the age of 14 to 11,[3] with consequential changes to the ages at which young people generally first receive the sacraments of reconciliation and holy communion.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds (12 November 2014). Solemn Vespers on the Memorial of Saint Josaphat. Leeds: Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds. p. 2.
  2. ^ "Nomina del Vescovo di Leeds (Inghilterra)". Vatican Press Office. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  3. ^ Diocese of Leeds, Sacramental Preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation and the Provision of Youth Services, 25 September 2016, archived 5 February 2018, accessed 28 August 2023
  4. ^ Diocese of Leeds, Appendix A: Sacramental Preparation in the Diocese of Leeds: First Sacraments and the Sacrament of Confirmation, 25 September 2016, archived 5 February 2018, accessed 28 August 2023
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Leeds
2014–present
Incumbent