Together, all Chapter members are part of the faithful heart of the Cathedral. As charity trustees, they must ensure that all activities further the Chapter’s charitable objectives and provide public benefit. These objectives include;
The Chapter is regulated by the Charity Commission as well as by the Church Commissioners. All members of Chapter must comply with charity law as well as ecclesiastical law.
The Dean was installed in July 2018 as the Dean of St Edmundsbury. He is a former Durham University graduate who studied theology at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. He serves on General Synod, representing the Deans, and is a trustee of USPG. The Dean, as the leading priest, has oversight of the spiritual and administrative life of the Cathedral Community.
Canon Matthew was installed in February 2009 as Canon Pastor, having served for 8 years as a Chaplain at St John’s Cathedral in Hong Kong. He became Sub Dean in October 2012. He is Chair of the Diocesan Healing & Wholeness Group. He is also Chair of the Abbey of St Edmund Heritage partnership, which brings together the groups and people passionate about the Abbey area at the heart of Bury St Edmunds.
Canon Katy was installed in June 2025 as Canon Precentor, having spent 10 years in parish ministry in Manchester Diocese. With a background in both practical and academic music, as well as theology and liturgy, Katy is passionate about the evangelistic and formational potential of the sacraments and of liturgical participation. She is a member of the College of Archbishop’s Evangelists. As Precentor, Katy’s primary responsibility is for the worshipping life of the Cathedral.
Dr Johnson is a previous Canon Precentor of York Minster. Prior to ordination, Victoria worked as a Post-Doctoral Cancer Research Scientist at Manchester University after gaining a BSc and PhD in Biochemistry from Leicester University. She is currently a member of the Divinity Faculty of the University of Cambridge and specialises in homiletics and liturgy; mission theology and apologetics; science and religion; music and the arts. Her first book On voice: speech, song and silence, human and divine has recently been published.
The Revd Canon Sally Gaze was appointed to the post of the new Archdeacon for Rural Mission in February 2019. She has a rich experience of growing rural churches and a significant national profile for pioneering creative approaches to rural mission and ministry. Her role is to strengthen and develop church life in rural communities. It is about helping people to experience God’s love in rural Suffolk in all sorts of ways from creative worship to combatting isolation.
Mark has been an active member of the Church of England for over 50 years, most recently as Chair of the St Edmundsbury & Ipswich Diocesan Board of Finance. He has extensive experience of working across the public and private sectors including in industry, national and regional voluntary organisations, further and higher education, economic development bodies, local enterprise partnerships, and academia, many with UK, EU and international dimensions. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk and is High Sheriff of Suffolk (in nomination) for 2023/2024.
Barbara is originally from Belfast and was brought up in the Methodist tradition, (with its wonderful hymn tunes) before being confirmed into the Church of England at Manchester Cathedral, whilst at University there. Following a varied career as a Secondary School Teacher, Music Director and Commercial Manager, she moved to Suffolk in 2008 and now holds responsibilities within the local community. As part of her Chapter role, Barbara sits on or chairs various committees such as the Vestey Music Trust, Safeguarding and the Ancient Library.
Terry was born in Reading, Berkshire and moved here in 1993 where she worked in the Cathedral Office and became an active member of the congregation. She has been a member of the PCC and secretary of the local branch of the Children’s Society as well as secretary of the Friends of the Cathedral Choir. Terry has four children all of whom have been members of the Cathedral’s Choirs and has been involved in both the creche and as a Junior Church leader. She has been a deputy warden since May 2015.
Sue spent 27 years involved with criminal justice in the police and Magistrates’ Courts. More recently she has shifted her focus to health & social justice, serving as Lay member of the Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership, Board member of Healthwatch Suffolk and Independent Chair of two separate groups working together to make Suffolk a dementia friendly county. She is a member of the finance and nominations committees and Chapter Lead for social action & inclusion.
Paul was born in County Durham and read Modern Languages at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he also sang in the choir. He spent his career in the insurance industry, specialising in political risk and working mainly with French, German and Italian clients. He retired in 2021. Paul is involved with his local church, Holton St Mary where he sits on the PCC and acts as Churchwarden and Treasurer. He is a Governor of the Royal Hospital School and is a Trustee of Brass for Africa, a UK-registered charity working with highly disadvantaged young people in Uganda. He occasionally sings with the Cathedral Choir.
