General Synod Election Candidates 2026

CATHERINE DAVIES – 2026 GENERAL SYNOD ELECTION ADDRESS

I ask myself not what the General Synod has done for me, but what I can do for the General
Synod.

Hello. My name is Catherine (Cathy) Davies. I am a lifelong Christian with a gentle and
reverential faith, worshipping at St Stephen on the Cliffs, North Shore Blackpool, a church in
the Anglo-Catholic tradition. I am standing as a potential representative of Catholic Anglicans
in the diocese, bringing experience in parish, deanery, school and lay ministry contexts.

I have just completed two years of LLM formation with Emmanuel Theological College and am
due to be licensed this October. I serve as PCC secretary at St Stephen’s, a lay representative
on Deanery Synod and Deanery Standing Committee, a chaplaincy volunteer at my local
hospital and a foundation governor of a local Church of England secondary school. In my
previous parish, I also served as a worship-leading ALM. I am a former cardiac nurse and
clinical research manager and following a career change, I retired in November 2019 as a
funeral arranger.

I value ecumenism and the building of bridges across the wider Christian fellowship, while
recognising that doctrinal differences remain important. I feel fortunate to belong to a church
that combines the reverence of traditional Catholic liturgy with the breadth of the Church of
England, and I believe it is vital to maintain and emphasise the Catholic heritage, liturgy and
sacraments within Anglican life.

I support synodality and the tricameral system of bishops, clergy and laity sharing
responsibility for decision-making. If elected, I would seek to represent the whole Catholic
Anglican community faithfully, including views I may not personally hold in full. For example,
while I support female episcopacy, I recognise and respect that others do not, and I believe it
is important that churches under the auspices of The Society continue to be honoured.
Following Christ includes listening carefully, respecting difference and serving the whole body
of the Church.

Safeguarding is also central to my understanding of church life. Through Leadership
Safeguarding training, I have become more aware of issues that can too easily go unnoticed. I
fully support safeguarding measures and believe our churches must be safe spaces for all,
with concerns reported clearly and responsibly.

Creation care is another priority. I feel especially close to God when walking by the sea near
my home, aware of the beauty of creation. I therefore support the Synod’s drive towards net
zero and the vision set out in Hope for All Creation. I believe this begins locally, in our homes
and parishes, through practical stewardship of the world entrusted to us.

I also believe strongly in the life of the local parish church and support the work of Save the
Parish. Regular worship, pastoral care and the administration of the sacraments by clergy
embedded in their communities must be sustained. While church plants and larger benefices
may have their place, they should not come at the cost of smaller local parishes built in faith
and love by previous generations.

I believe I would serve as a thoughtful and constructive member of General Synod. I am a
good listener, I reflect prayerfully, and I would seek to represent the traditional Catholic
Anglican community honestly and fruitfully. It would be an honour to learn from Anglicans
across the country and wider communion, to contribute to discussions on the Church’s future,
and to help shape its witness in faith, policy and public life.

I hope I have shown what I can potentially do for the General Synod, and I would be very
grateful for your vote.

Thank you for reading this address.

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