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The Very Rev. Bernard J. Owens

The Dean's Blog

The Very Reverend Bernard J. “BJ” Owens, IV was called as dean of Trinity Cathedral in fall 2018. He is the Cathedral’s 12^th dean since its founding.

In his first years at Trinity Cathedral, Dean Owens has worked to build on Trinity’s long history of transcendent worship, wholehearted inclusion, and committed service to the city of Cleveland, while celebrating and supporting the ministry of the many churches of Diocese of Ohio. Dean Owens has led the process of strategic visioning that identified Trinity’s vocation to be A Sacred Place for All People, and has guided the revitalizing of Trinity’s ministry structure to help achieve that vision. He is also a graduate of the 2022 class of Leadership Cleveland.

Prior to his appointment at Trinity, he served as rector at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Greensboro, North Carolina for eight years. There, he led a growing church, with new members among both young families and mature parishioners. Before St. Andrew’s, he was the Associate Rector for Children’s & Family Ministries at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cary, North Carolina.

Dean Owens attended UNC-Chapel Hill and Yale Divinity School. Between his undergraduate and graduate studies, he worked in film production in New York City. He loves to hike, cycle, and do just about anything outdoors; he and his wife, the Rev. Jo Nygard Owens, live in Shaker Heights with their two children.

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