Obituaries

Rt Rev. John Hine

A profile of the late Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Southwark, the Right Reverend John Hine.

Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus, Southwark

The Right Reverend John Hine was an Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Southwark.

Bishop John Hine was born at Tunbridge Wells on 26 July 1938. He was educated by the Jesuits at Stonyhurst, Lancashire and the Xaverian Brothers at Mayfield College, Sussex.

In 1956, Bishop Hine began studying for the priesthood at the Venerable English College, Rome for the Archdiocese of Southwark. He was ordained priest by Cardinal William Godfrey on 28 October 1962.

Bishop Hine served as an assistant priest in Worcester Park, Maidstone and Chatham parishes. In 1978, he became the first parish priest of the new parish of Bearsted and was involved in the building of St Peter’s Church, Bearsted. He was also appointed Secretary, and then Chairman, of the Kent Schools’ Commission. In 1986, Mgr Hine was appointed Vicar General and Chancellor of Southwark Archdiocese, resident at Archbishop’s House, Southwark. Bishop Hine was also a Canon of St George’s Cathedral and became a Monsignor.

On 27 February 2001, Bishop Hine was ordained an Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark and Bishop of the titular see of Beverley by Archbishop Bowen. He was given oversight of the Kent Pastoral Area of the Diocese.

Bishop Hine was a member of the Bishops’ Conference Department for Social Justice with a particular focus on marriage and family life.

In 2014, at the age of 75, Bishop John submitted his resignation from office to Pope Francis; this was officially accepted on the 7 May 2016.

Having relinquished his responsibilities for the Kent Pastoral Area, Bishop Hine accepted an appointment as parish priest at St Andrew’s, Tenterden, where he ministered until July 2020.

He died on Saturday, 16 November in Abbotsleigh Care Home, Staplehurst, where he had been resident for a few months.

The Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Reverend John Wilson, said:

“Bishop Hine’s warm pastoral character, deep spirituality, and wise leadership were appreciated greatly, and even in retirement, he continued to serve quietly but effectively, remaining a much-loved presence in our Archdiocese”.

Link

For more, please visit the Archdiocese of Southwark’s website.