Canon Tony Bundock
is to retire as Rector of Leeds after just over nine years. He was previously Rector of Seacroft for 11 years.
When asked about the highlights of his time at Leeds Minster, he says, “One of the most memorable was the Minster-making ceremony in 2012 and the visit of the poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy who wrote a poem for the occasion.”
It was also in 2012 that Tony took a three month sabbatical to explore the links between Egyptian desert monasticism and Celtic spirituality. A camel trek across the Sinai desert (see right) aided his research.
He adds, “Other highlights have been the special service in 2007 for the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade, and more recently the Nelson Mandela civic commemoration last December. And I regard it as a great privilege that the city council asked me to bless new war memorials for the Leeds Rifles at the Battle of the Somme site in 2006 and for the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at the Passchendaele site in 2007.”
During his 20 years in Leeds Tony has been, at various times, chair of governors of four Leeds schools and was one of the founding governors of the David Young Community Academy schools. He has also been Chaplain to two Lord Mayors of Leeds. He says, “I will miss the vibrancy and ‘buzz’ of Leeds as well as its rich diversity.”
In retirement Tony will serve in the Diocese of Oxford as ‘House for Duty’ Team Vicar in the Risborough Team Ministry at St John the Evangelist, Lacey Green with Loosely Row and Speen, Buckinghamshire. He will be licensed at St John’s by the Bishop of Buckingham on 23 October and his last Sunday at Leeds Minster will be 12 October.