[St. James Cathedral Chicago press release] The Rev. Dominic Barrington will be installed as the eighth dean of St. James Cathedral on Sept. 13.

The Rev. Dr. Louis Weil, an emeritus professor of liturgics at Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) in Berkeley, California, will preach and the Rt. Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, will preside at the service.

Barrington, 53, was previously rector of Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s Church in Kettering, England and chaplain at St. Chad’s College in Durham University in England.  During seminary, he studied for a year at CDSP and has developed an extensive network in the United States through his work in the Holy Land, where he organizes and leads pilgrimages that provide income and employment for the indigenous Christian community.

“I am delighted to be serving this lively, faith-filled cathedral church in one of the greatest cities of the world,” Barrington said. “St. James is home to a congregation of passionate people who are eager to commit themselves more deeply to being the Body of Christ right here in Chicago.”

“In searching for a new dean, we were looking for someone who could open the doors of the cathedral to a greater cross-section of people, deepen our involvement in the life of our community and nurture the art and music programs that are such an important part of our ministry,” said Graham Bell, the layperson who leads the cathedral’s elected governing body.  “We are thrilled that Dominic accepted our call.”

Before entering seminary, Dominic spent five years with Arts Council England working to create and fund new performance opportunities for the London Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic and other orchestras. He also worked for several years with some of Britain’s leading professional choirs and vocal groups, including The Sixteen and the Hilliard Ensemble.

Lee said he looks forward to working closely with Barrington. Both the bishop and dean have offices at St. James Commons, a campus that comprises the cathedral, diocesan headquarters and a plaza that features a garden and labyrinth. “We are committed to making St. James a center of hospitality, a site for communal worship and a staging area for ministry that will touch the lives of people across our region,” Lee said.

Barrington and his wife Alison have two young sons, Benedict and Linus.