CofE Announces Funeral Details of Longest-Serving Priest

The funeral of Father Raymond Bristow, the longest-serving priest in the Church of England, who died last month at the age of 98, will be held later this month.

A Requiem Mass will be held at St James' Church, Norton Canes, where he continued to lead services until last October. The service will be held at 11.15am on Tuesday 14th August.

The Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Rev Andrew Burnham, paid tribute to Father Bristow, who celebrated 70-years of priestly ministry last September.

"Fr Raymond Bristow concelebrated Mass with me last year at Norton Canes on the seventieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood," he said.

"It was a wonderful occasion, with a large and loving congregation turning up for the midweek mass. Though he was dissuaded from walking in procession, he insisted on rising from his wheelchair for the Gospel and the Eucharistic Prayer and not only gave the blessing, at my request, but introduced it in Episcopal fashion.

"Raymond was ordained deacon at the age of 29 and was proud, therefore, of being an Ordinand of mature years and not a young man. He went on to serve faithfully in the West Midlands, mostly in Lichfield diocese, and was a radiant instance of one whose whole life was devoted to priestly service.

"May he rest in peace and enter into the joy of his Lord."

Until last October, Father Bristow was still assisting with services at St James' Church in Norton Canes, near Cannock.

He regularly celebrated the midweek Mass and assisted at the principal Mass every Sunday.

He was ordained a Deacon in Lichfield Cathedral in 1935 and was priested the following year. He served his first curacy at St Mary and St Chad's Church in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent.

Speaking before the special service to mark his 70th anniversary as a priest, Father Raymond said: "They tell me it's a bit of a do, but I don't know much about it!"