11th September 2001

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Dr George Carey, and the Dean of Canterbury, the Very Revd Robert Willis, will install two new Honorary Provincial Canons in Canterbury Cathedral during Evensong on Sunday, 16th September 2001. The Service will begin at 3.15 pm. There are up to 30 Honorary Canons of Canterbury. The rank is given to clergy, both men and women, who have given "signal service in the work of the Church at home or abroad", to quote from the Constitution of the Cathedral. The new Provincial Honorary Canons are the Revd Dr Herman Browne and the Revd John Rees.

Dr Browne has a first degree and a doctorate from London University and recently was appointed the Archbishop's Officer for the Anglican Communion. He works from Lambeth Palace in London and deals with matters concerning the Church overseas. The Hurd Report To Lead and to Serve; A Review of the See of Canterbury, which was published last Thursday, emphasised the growing work of the Archbishop in liaising with other parts of the Anglican Communion. Dr Browne is a key part of that process. "I am absolutely delighted" said Dr Browne this afternoon "and I look forward to participating in events at Canterbury Cathedral".

John Rees is a Solicitor as well as a priest and is a Partner in the Oxford office of the firm of Winckworth Sherwood. He has degrees from Southampton, Oxford and Leeds Universities. He specialises in ecclesiastical, education and charity law and is Provincial Registrar to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Registrar of the Diocese of Oxford, and Legal Advisor to the Anglican Consultative Council. "It is a great honour to be appointed a Canon of this Cathedral" said John Rees today. "My hope always is that, through my dual roles, I may help both lawyers and clergy to find ways through the maze of regulations that are so much a part of our Church life".