Philip Egan

The Rt Revd Philip Egan BA STL PhD
Bishop of Portsmouth
Diocese	Portsmouth
See	Portsmouth, England
Appointed	11 July 2012
Installed	24 September 2012
Predecessor	Crispian Hollis
Orders
Ordination	4 August 1984
Consecration	24 September 2012 by Crispian Hollis
Personal details
Born	(1955-11-14) 14 November 1955 Altrincham, Cheshire
Nationality	British
Denomination	Roman Catholic

Philip Anthony Egan (born 14 November 1955) is the current and eighth Bishop of Portsmouth . Considered to be an ultra-conservative in the mould of Pope Benedict XVI Egan has condemned the idea of a Catholic 'Left; and 'Right; as 'diabolical' while at the same time emerging as the most trenchant opponent of contraception among the English Bishops. } He is an advocate of Latin prayers and the 1962 Latin rite of the Mass disapproved of by the new Pope Francis I but beloved of European Traditionalists. By contrast he has said he felt 'safe' under Pope Benedict XVI who had similar enthusiasms.

Biography

Egan was born in Altrincham, a suburb of Manchester. After classical studies locally at St Ambrose College and at Kings College London, he completed training for the priesthood at Allen Hall, Westminster, and at the Venerable English College in Rome. On 4 August 1984, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Shrewsbury. From 1984 to 1988, Egan served as parochial vicar at St Anthony's, Woodehouse Park, Manchester. From 1988 to 1991, he served as an assistant chaplain at the University of Cambridge. From 1991 to 1994, he served as parish vicar and chaplain at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral. From 1994 to 1995, he completed theological studies at Boston College in the United States, going on to serve, until 2007, as a Professor of Fundamental Theology and Dean of Studies at Oscott College seminary in Birmingham. In 2007-2008, also in Boston he attended Lonergan Post Doctoral Fellowship Studies. In 2008, Egan became parish priest of Our Lady and St Christopher's in Stockport. In 2010, he was named to his previous post as Vicar General of the Diocese of Shrewsbury.

On 11 July 2012, Egan's appointment as the eighth Bishop of Portsmouth was announced in an official press release from the Vatican Information Service (VIS), an arm of the Holy See Press Office and his installation attracted controversy At the time of his appointment Egan was serving as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Shrewsbury. His episcopal ordination took place at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth on 24 September 2012, the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham. Within hours he was drawn into further controversy as one of his Priests banned yoga from a Diocesan building. This controversial role continued as Egan made strident comments regarding same-sex marriage, lambasted the Liverpool Care Pathway before making a good number of his central staff redundant. He has been accused by a Catholic theologian, and Maryvale Institute lecturer, Dr Keith Chappel of 'clericalising' the Diocese in an article for the Catholic Times.