June 3, 2025
June 27, 2024

Westminster Diocese announces clergy moves and changes for 2024

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<br>Mgr Martin Hayes, Vicar General of the Diocese of Westminster, has issued the following information about forthcoming retirements, priests' appointments and deacons' placements for this year.<br><br><strong>RETIREMENTS<br></strong><br><strong>Fr John Deehan</strong>&nbsp;-&nbsp;<strong>from Kentish Town</strong>, summer 2024<br><strong>Fr Dennis Touw</strong>&nbsp;- from&nbsp;<strong>Fulham 1</strong>, summer 2024<br><br><strong>PARISH PRIESTS<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Bernard Akoeso OSB</strong>&nbsp;- Holy Cross,&nbsp;<strong>Parsons Green&nbsp;</strong>from sabbatical<br><strong>Fr Allan Alvarado Gil</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady Help of Christians,&nbsp;<strong>Kentish Town</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Willesden Green and Kensal Rise<br><strong>Fr John Byrne</strong>&nbsp;- Corpus Christi,&nbsp;<strong>Tring</strong>&nbsp;from Parish Priest, Feltham<br><strong>Fr Saviour Grech</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Perpetual Help,&nbsp;<strong>Fulham 2</strong>, Stephendale Road from sabbatical<br><strong>Fr Mike Maguire</strong>&nbsp;- St Lawrence,&nbsp;<strong>Feltham</strong>&nbsp;from Precentor, Westminster Cathedral<br><strong>Fr James Neal</strong>&nbsp;- St Thomas of Canterbury,&nbsp;<strong>Fulham</strong>&nbsp;from sabbatical<br><strong>Fr Pascal Sullivan CCN</strong>&nbsp;- Christ the King,&nbsp;<strong>Cockfosters</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest at Cockfosters, in succession to Fr Christophe Brunet&nbsp;<strong>CCN</strong>&nbsp;from 1 August 2024<br><strong>Fr Nigel Woollen</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Victories,&nbsp;<strong>Kensington 1</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Stevenage parishes<br><br><strong>PAROCHIAL ADMINISTRATOR<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Tom O'Brien AA</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew,&nbsp;<strong>Hitchin</strong>&nbsp;from 1 June 2024<br><br><strong>ASSISTANT PRIESTS, FIRST APPOINTMENTS FOLLOWING ORDINATION ON 29 JUNE 2024</strong><br><br><strong>Fr Thomas Blackburn</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Lourdes,&nbsp;<strong>New Southgate</strong><br><strong>Fr Domagoj Matokovic</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady Help of Christians,&nbsp;<strong>Rickmansworth</strong>, St John Fisher,&nbsp;<strong>Chorleywood</strong>&nbsp;and St John the Evangelist,&nbsp;<strong>Mill End</strong><br><strong>Fr Robert Smialek</strong>&nbsp;- St Joseph, Transfiguration, St Hilda,&nbsp;<strong>Stevenage Parishes</strong><br><br><strong>ASSISTANT PRIESTS<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Matteo Di Giuseppe</strong>&nbsp;- St Mary Magdalen,&nbsp;<strong>Willesden Green</strong>&nbsp;and Church of the Transfiguration,&nbsp;<strong>Kensal Rise</strong>. Resident at Kensal Rise from Assistant Priest, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood and Mill End<br><strong>Fr Axcel Soriano</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St George,&nbsp;<strong>Enfield</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Harrow North<br><strong>Fr Patrick van der Vorst</strong>&nbsp;-&nbsp;<strong>Precentor, Westminster Cathedral</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Enfield<br><br><strong>DEACONS IN FORMATION FOR PRIESTHOOD, ORDAINED ON 15 JUNE 2024</strong><br><br><strong>Rev James Boyle</strong>&nbsp;- Holy Trinity,&nbsp;<strong>Brook Green</strong><br><strong>Rev Sean Power&nbsp;</strong>- Our Lady and St Vincent,&nbsp;<strong>Potters Bar</strong><br><br>Note: Appointments are taken up at the beginning of September, by local agreement. Costs associated with moving are met by the parish of departure.<br><br><strong>SABBATICAL<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Andrew O'Connell</strong>&nbsp;- from Assistant Priest, New Southgate<br><strong>Fr John McKenna</strong>&nbsp;- from Parish Priest, Barnet<br><br>Mary Immaculate and St Gregory the Great,&nbsp;<strong>Barnet&nbsp;</strong>will be entrusted to the care of the Consolata Missionary Fathers (IMC), Province of the Generalate, from the beginning of September 2024<br><br><strong>CATHOLIC CHILDRENS SOCIETY</strong><br><br><strong>Fr David Reilly</strong>&nbsp;- Chair from 11 June 2024 in succession to&nbsp;<strong>Fr Michael Daley RIP</strong><br><br><strong>PERMANENT DEACONS TO BE ORDAINED ON 6 JULY 2024</strong><br><br><strong>Paul Hewitt</strong>, Our Lady of Victories,&nbsp;<strong>Kensington 1</strong><br><strong>James Sin</strong>, St John Fisher,&nbsp;<strong>Harrow North</strong><br><strong>Eze Ugoala</strong>, Sacred Heart of Jesus,&nbsp;<strong>Holloway</strong><br><br><em>Independent Catholic News (ICN</em>) <a href="https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/50072"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> Mgr Martin commenting: "The Cardinal is grateful to the priests who are taking up new appointments and he thanks them for their service in their current appointments. Gratitude is expressed to Fr John Deehan and Fr Dennis Touw as they prepare for retirement, with the prayers and best wishes of us all for a long and happy retirement."<br><br>He concludes: "We pray for those to be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday and to the permanent diaconate on Saturday week."<em><br><br>Photo: British mosaic artist Basil Cary-Elwes at work in an arched window laying the gilded mosaic pieces in the Lady Chapel of Westminster Cathedral, London, England, June 1935. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.)</em> <strong>Editor's note: Parishioners concerned that their church does not stock the <em>Catholic Herald </em>magazine are urged to liaise with their parish priest and encourage him to contact the <em>Herald</em> team (<strong>parish@catholicherald.co.uk) </strong>to ensure an adequate supply.</strong>
<br>Mgr Martin Hayes, Vicar General of the Diocese of Westminster, has issued the following information about forthcoming retirements, priests' appointments and deacons' placements for this year.<br><br><strong>RETIREMENTS<br></strong><br><strong>Fr John Deehan</strong>&nbsp;-&nbsp;<strong>from Kentish Town</strong>, summer 2024<br><strong>Fr Dennis Touw</strong>&nbsp;- from&nbsp;<strong>Fulham 1</strong>, summer 2024<br><br><strong>PARISH PRIESTS<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Bernard Akoeso OSB</strong>&nbsp;- Holy Cross,&nbsp;<strong>Parsons Green&nbsp;</strong>from sabbatical<br><strong>Fr Allan Alvarado Gil</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady Help of Christians,&nbsp;<strong>Kentish Town</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Willesden Green and Kensal Rise<br><strong>Fr John Byrne</strong>&nbsp;- Corpus Christi,&nbsp;<strong>Tring</strong>&nbsp;from Parish Priest, Feltham<br><strong>Fr Saviour Grech</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Perpetual Help,&nbsp;<strong>Fulham 2</strong>, Stephendale Road from sabbatical<br><strong>Fr Mike Maguire</strong>&nbsp;- St Lawrence,&nbsp;<strong>Feltham</strong>&nbsp;from Precentor, Westminster Cathedral<br><strong>Fr James Neal</strong>&nbsp;- St Thomas of Canterbury,&nbsp;<strong>Fulham</strong>&nbsp;from sabbatical<br><strong>Fr Pascal Sullivan CCN</strong>&nbsp;- Christ the King,&nbsp;<strong>Cockfosters</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest at Cockfosters, in succession to Fr Christophe Brunet&nbsp;<strong>CCN</strong>&nbsp;from 1 August 2024<br><strong>Fr Nigel Woollen</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Victories,&nbsp;<strong>Kensington 1</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Stevenage parishes<br><br><strong>PAROCHIAL ADMINISTRATOR<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Tom O'Brien AA</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew,&nbsp;<strong>Hitchin</strong>&nbsp;from 1 June 2024<br><br><strong>ASSISTANT PRIESTS, FIRST APPOINTMENTS FOLLOWING ORDINATION ON 29 JUNE 2024</strong><br><br><strong>Fr Thomas Blackburn</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Lourdes,&nbsp;<strong>New Southgate</strong><br><strong>Fr Domagoj Matokovic</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady Help of Christians,&nbsp;<strong>Rickmansworth</strong>, St John Fisher,&nbsp;<strong>Chorleywood</strong>&nbsp;and St John the Evangelist,&nbsp;<strong>Mill End</strong><br><strong>Fr Robert Smialek</strong>&nbsp;- St Joseph, Transfiguration, St Hilda,&nbsp;<strong>Stevenage Parishes</strong><br><br><strong>ASSISTANT PRIESTS<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Matteo Di Giuseppe</strong>&nbsp;- St Mary Magdalen,&nbsp;<strong>Willesden Green</strong>&nbsp;and Church of the Transfiguration,&nbsp;<strong>Kensal Rise</strong>. Resident at Kensal Rise from Assistant Priest, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood and Mill End<br><strong>Fr Axcel Soriano</strong>&nbsp;- Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St George,&nbsp;<strong>Enfield</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Harrow North<br><strong>Fr Patrick van der Vorst</strong>&nbsp;-&nbsp;<strong>Precentor, Westminster Cathedral</strong>&nbsp;from Assistant Priest, Enfield<br><br><strong>DEACONS IN FORMATION FOR PRIESTHOOD, ORDAINED ON 15 JUNE 2024</strong><br><br><strong>Rev James Boyle</strong>&nbsp;- Holy Trinity,&nbsp;<strong>Brook Green</strong><br><strong>Rev Sean Power&nbsp;</strong>- Our Lady and St Vincent,&nbsp;<strong>Potters Bar</strong><br><br>Note: Appointments are taken up at the beginning of September, by local agreement. Costs associated with moving are met by the parish of departure.<br><br><strong>SABBATICAL<br></strong><br><strong>Fr Andrew O'Connell</strong>&nbsp;- from Assistant Priest, New Southgate<br><strong>Fr John McKenna</strong>&nbsp;- from Parish Priest, Barnet<br><br>Mary Immaculate and St Gregory the Great,&nbsp;<strong>Barnet&nbsp;</strong>will be entrusted to the care of the Consolata Missionary Fathers (IMC), Province of the Generalate, from the beginning of September 2024<br><br><strong>CATHOLIC CHILDRENS SOCIETY</strong><br><br><strong>Fr David Reilly</strong>&nbsp;- Chair from 11 June 2024 in succession to&nbsp;<strong>Fr Michael Daley RIP</strong><br><br><strong>PERMANENT DEACONS TO BE ORDAINED ON 6 JULY 2024</strong><br><br><strong>Paul Hewitt</strong>, Our Lady of Victories,&nbsp;<strong>Kensington 1</strong><br><strong>James Sin</strong>, St John Fisher,&nbsp;<strong>Harrow North</strong><br><strong>Eze Ugoala</strong>, Sacred Heart of Jesus,&nbsp;<strong>Holloway</strong><br><br><em>Independent Catholic News (ICN</em>) <a href="https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/50072"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> Mgr Martin commenting: "The Cardinal is grateful to the priests who are taking up new appointments and he thanks them for their service in their current appointments. Gratitude is expressed to Fr John Deehan and Fr Dennis Touw as they prepare for retirement, with the prayers and best wishes of us all for a long and happy retirement."<br><br>He concludes: "We pray for those to be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday and to the permanent diaconate on Saturday week."<em><br><br>Photo: British mosaic artist Basil Cary-Elwes at work in an arched window laying the gilded mosaic pieces in the Lady Chapel of Westminster Cathedral, London, England, June 1935. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.)</em> <strong>Editor's note: Parishioners concerned that their church does not stock the <em>Catholic Herald </em>magazine are urged to liaise with their parish priest and encourage him to contact the <em>Herald</em> team (<strong>parish@catholicherald.co.uk) </strong>to ensure an adequate supply.</strong>
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