The Revd Preb. Joseph Fernandes has, subject to the usual legal formalities, been appointed as Vice Dean and Residentiary Canon for Congregation and Community at Chelmsford Cathedral.
As Vice-Dean, Joseph will hold responsibility, after the Dean, for the ministerial and collegiate life of the Cathedral. He will be a full member of Chapter and the Senior Leadership Team and will be the Cathedral’s Safeguarding Lead. He will have primary responsibility for occasional offices and for pastoral care in the Cathedral and will take the lead on its work for social justice; he will also take a significant role in the Cathedral’s work on ecological care and carbon net zero.
Commenting on his appointment, Joseph said:
“I feel truly honoured to have been appointed as Vice-Dean and Residentiary Canon for Congregation and Community of Chelmsford Cathedral. It is a profound privilege to begin this new chapter serving the people of Essex and East London, and I step forward with a heart full of gratitude, hope, and joy.
"I am excited to journey alongside the cathedral family, sharing in the richness of our faith, the strength of our hope, and the power of God’s love.
"Please hold me and my family in your prayers as we prepare to move, trusting deeply in God’s guidance and presence every step of the way. I look forward with anticipation to all that God has prepared in this next season."
Welcoming Joseph’s appointment, The Very Revd Dr Jessica Martin, the Dean of Chelmsford said:
“I am really delighted that Joseph will be joining the clergy team at Chelmsford Cathedral as Vice Dean and Residentiary Canon for Congregation and Community.
"Joseph brings such a wealth of valuable and timely ministerial experience and skill to this post, and we are looking forward tremendously to welcoming him and his family to Chelmsford.”
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani commented:
“Joseph will bring great experience and many gifts to the role of Vice Dean and Residentiary Canon. Working alongside Dean Jessica, the cathedral staff and the wider cathedral community, he will play an important part in shaping the life of our cathedral. Please join me in praying for him and his family as they prepare to join us.”
About Joseph Fernandes
Joseph trained for ministry at Ripon College Cuddesdon and began his ordained journey serving his curacy in the Diocese of Oxford. Since then, he has served in the Diocese of London, as Rector of St Mary’s Acton in East London, Vicar of St Hilda’s, Ashford, Middlesex, and Area Dean of Spelthorne. He is also a Prebendary of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Throughout his ministry, Joseph has been deeply committed to creating inclusive, welcoming communities where people of all backgrounds can encounter God’s love and grow in faith. He is passionate about racial and social justice and serves as Diocesan Chaplain in the Diocese of London for Gypsy, Roman and Traveller communities, advocating for one of the most marginalised and overlooked ethnic groups in society.
Originally from Portugal, Joseph values the richness that diverse cultures bring to the life of the Church. Joseph is married, with two children and a beloved dog.