Champion of Christian healing dies
Bishop Morris Maddocks, one of the great champions of the healing ministry in the Church, and an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Chichester since 1987, has died at the age of 79.
During an extraordinarily rich and diverse ministry Bishop Morris served in parishes in London and York before being consecrated as a bishop and founding the Acorn Christian Healing Trust with his wife, Anne.
Morris Henry St John Maddocks was born in 1928 and gained an MA at Trinity College, Cambridge, before training for the ordination at Chichester Theological College in 1952.
He was ordained a deacon in 1954 and priest in 1955, serving curacies at Ealing and Uxbridge up to 1958.
He married Anne at Chichester Cathedral on September 22nd 1955. The service was held at 8.30 in the morning so they could benefit from the use of the choristers prior to their lessons. Anne remained a help and support in his work throughout their life together, to the extent that some churches would pray for “Morris and Anne, our Bishop.”
He then moved up to York, where he became Vicar of Weaverthorpe, Helperthrope, and Luttons until 1961, when he began 10 years as Vicar of St Martin-on-the-Hill, Scarborough. A varied ministry during this period included serving as chaplain to the Black and White Minstrels.
In 1972 Morris was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Selby, where he remained until 1983.
During this time he wrote The Christian Healing Ministry (1981), which has become one of the standard and most widely respected works on the subject, and has seen a number of revised and updated editions over the years.
His key understanding of Christian healing was, “Jesus Christ meeting you at the point of your deepest need.”
Other publications included Journey into Wholeness (1986) and Twenty Questions About Healing (1988), A Healing House of Prayer (1987), and The Vision of Dorothy Kerin (1991).
Morris and Anne found themselves overwhelmed with requests to preach about Christian healing after the book’s publication and the Archbishop of York sent Morris on sabbatical, but on their return to work he was given an unpaid appointment as special adviser on health and healing to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York from 1983 - 95.
In 1983 Bishop Morris was appointed as assistant bishop to the Bishop of Bath and Wells, a post he held up to 1987.
It was around this time that the couple were offered a building – Whitehill Chase in Bordon, Hampshire – plus annual funding for the work of Christian healing and this saw the genesis of the Acorn Healing ministry. The foundation, co-founded by Bishop Morris, is still based there.
After his retirement, the couple returned to Chichester and Morris was invited to be an Honorary Assistant Bishop in 1987. He was also a Canon and Prebendary of the Cathedral from 1992 – 2003.
Anne died in October 2006 after a marriage of 51 years. The couple had no children. Bishop Morris continued to live in Canon Lane, and had recently undergone major heart surgery.
In paying tribute to his life and work, Bishop John commented: “Bishop Morris was like the apostle Barnabas – always an encourager. I thank God for his long, distinguished, and varied ministry. May he rest in peace.”
The Dean of Chichester, The Very Revd Nicholas Frayling added: “It is hard to imagine the Cathedral without Bishop Morris, with his gentle smile and faithful presence. He was one of the very great figures in the Church of England in the 20th Century”.
A Requiem for Bishop Maddocks will be held in Chichester Cathedral on Friday, February 1st at noon.
Morris Henry St John Maddocks :
Born: 28th April 1928 – Died: 19th January 2008