The Right Reverend Ambrose Griffiths OSB
Bishop Emeritus of Hexham and Newcastle
Michael Griffiths was born in London on 24th December 1928, to Hilda and Henry Griffiths. He attended a prep School in Brighton and then moved north to attend the Ampleforth Preparatory School at Gilling Castle in North Yorkshire and from there moved to Ampleforth School for his secondary education.

In 1946 he won a place at Balliol College in Oxford where he obtained a First Class BSc Honours Degree in Natural Sciences, majoring in Chemistry. Seven years later he obtained his MA.

On September 24th 1950, after completing his studies at Oxford, he joined the Benedictine Community at Ampleforth Abbey and was given the religious name Ambrose (after the saint who was Bishop of Milan in the fourth century). He was sent to the Benedictine House of Sant' Anselmo in Rome where he studied Theology and was ordained Priest on July 21st 1957. He taught Science, RE and woodwork at Ampleforth from 1958 - 1972, and became Head of the Science Department at the School.

From 1963 – 1971 he also taught dogmatic theology to the young monks of the community.

In 1972 he was appointed as Procurator (Bursar) of the Abbey and was responsible for the day to day running, and the financial matters of the Abbey.

In 1976 he was appointed Abbot of the Abbey by the Community and was in charge of Ampleforth for eight years until he was appointed as Parish priest of St Mary’s Parish in Leyland, Lancashire. As parish priest he was involved in all the usual day to day activities and societies of normal parish life. He also had the title of Abbot of Westminster, a title he was given when he was not re-elected as Abbot of Ampleforth.

On 11th January 1992, Pope John Paul II announced that he had appointed the Rt Rev'd Ambrose Griffiths OSB (Order of St Benedict) as the 11th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle to succeed the Rt Rev'd Hugh Lindsay who had tendered his resignation as Bishop of the Diocese on the grounds of ill health.

On 20th March 1992, Ambrose Griffiths was Ordained as Bishop by the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Rev'd Derek Worlock in St Mary's Cathedal. Ambrose Griffiths was installed as Bishop of the Diocese in front of the priests and people of the Diocese, many Bishops of England and Wales, including Cardinal Basil Hume, the Archbishop of Westminster, and Abbot of Ampleforth prior to Ambrose Griffiths.

As Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, Bishop Ambrose, as he liked to be called, immersed himself fully into all that went on in the Diocese on a daily basis. He travelled the diocese extensively each week, visiting parishes and schools, attending celebrations and functions, both religious and civic, and he attended many meetings both within the diocese and throughout he country. The Bishop met regularly with the priests of the Diocese, with the four Vicars General who assist the Bishop, with the Priest Consultors and the Council of Priests, with the Diocesan Finance Committee and with the Council of the laity and the Diocesan Pastoral Council.

The Bishop was also involved with many of the other Christian Churches and other faiths in the local area and met regularly with Church leaders of all denominations.

The Bishop also had to try and spend time in his office at Bishop's House in Newcastle responding to the many letters he received each week.

Bishop Ambrose tendered his resignation at the age of 75 to Pope John Paul II, a requirement necessary for all bishops. On 26th March 2004, the Pope appointed Canon Kevin Dunn as the new Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle. Bishop-elect Kevin Dunn was ordained Bishop on 25th May 2004.

Bishop Ambrose has retired to his former parish of St. Mary's, Leyland in Lancashire.