John Rawsthorne

Who is John Rawsthorne?

John Anthony Rawsthorne is a retired English Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Hallam from 1997 to 2014.

Born in Crosby, Lancashire, he was the eldest son of Harold Rawsthorne and Miriam Rawsthorne, née Harrop. He has two brothers, Paul and Christopher, and three sisters, Elizabeth, Ann, and Katherine. After attending St. Joseph's College in Upholland, he was ordained to the priesthood on 16 June 1962 by the then Archbishop of Liverpool, John Carmel Heenan.

Until 1965, Rawsthorne studied natural sciences, and was then assigned to pastoral work in West Derby, Croxteth, Childwall, and Liverpool; he also worked in religious education.

On 9 November 1981, Rawsthorne was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Liverpool and titular bishop of Rotdon by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 16 December 1981 from Archbishop Derek Worlock, with bishops Kevin O'Connor and Anthony Hitchen serving as co-consecrators.

Following the resignation of Bishop Gerald Moverley, Rawsthorne was appointed the second Bishop of Hallam on 4 July 1997.