The Holy Father appointed Whitehead bishop of the diocese of Plymouth on December 15, 2023. Whitehead himself said then that the position was “not something he had ever imagined.”
The priest pledged to give himself “voluntarily to where the Lord has called me to serve and with all that I have to offer.” Plymouth “is such a beautiful part of this country and I am truly happy to have the opportunity to make my home among its great people,” Whitehead then added.
Whitehead was ordained a priest in 1994 in the diocese of Clifton, located about 100 miles north of the diocese of Plymouth. The previous Bishop of Plymouth, Bishop Mark O’Toole, moved to Wales in June 2022, after being appointed Archbishop of Cardiff and Bishop of Menevia.