Preacher of Charterhouse retires

11/01/10

The Bishop of London celebrated the Eucharist in the Chapel of Sutton’s Hospital in Charterhouse, and delivered the address, to mark the retirement of The Reverend Michael Stevens who had been Preacher of Charterhouse for almost ten years.

Fr Stevens had spent almost his whole ministry as a hospital chaplain first at The London Hospital, then at St Thomas’ Hospital and finally at St Bartholomew’s Hospital when he was also Vicar of St Bartholomew the Less. He had trained for the sacred ministry at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield and was ordained deacon in St Paul’s Cathedral in 1965 and priest the following year. He served his title at All Saints, Poplar.

In recognition of his outstanding service as a hospital Chaplain he was awarded the Cross of St Augustine by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2004 and the Medal of St Mellitus by the Bishop of London in 2006.

At Charterhouse his main achievements have been the reintroduction of the Daily Offices and fostering ecumenical relationships with the Methodist Church at Wesley’s Chapel (John Wesley was a Scholar of Charterhouse from 1714-1720) and the Roman Catholic Church at Westminster Cathedral (principally through the annual Commemoration of the Carthusian Martyrs (1535-1540). On his retirement the Governors of Charterhouse appointed Fr Stevens Emeritus Preacher, a title also enjoyed by his predecessor Prebendary Alan Tanner.