FIVE new Church of England clergy will be ordained deacon by the Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, at Blackburn Cathedral on Saturday to serve in East Lancashire parishes.

They are among nine new deacons in the Blackburn Diocese.

St James’, Blackburn, will welcome Cath Brooks as their new curate; Nigel Kroukamp will join the Colne and Villages Team Ministry; Andrew Malcolm will work at St Peter, Salesbury; Ron Mulligan at St James’, Haslingden with St Stephen, Grane and St John, Stonefold; and Carole Williams, at St Paul’s, Oswaldtwistle.

Nine other clergy, ordained deacon last year, will be ordained priest by the Bishop of Lancaster, the Rt Rev Geoff Pearson, and the Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard, at services during the weekend.

They include the Rev Priestly Brook, also serving in the Colne and Villages Team; the Rev Fiona Naylor, at St James’, Lower Darwen; and the Rev Philip Knowles, at St Thomas with St Jude and St Michael and All Angels with St John and Holy Trinity, Blackburn.

People becoming clergy in the Church of England are initially ordained deacon, and then normally become priests the following year.

Bishop Nicholas said ordinations were a time of encouragement for the whole Church “as we see new people coming forward to commit their lives to the service of Christ.”