History of Our Parish

Parish Clergy, Pastoral Support, and Other Vocations

Our parish thanks God for the many priests, deacons, religious, and lay people who have served in various ministries since our founding. Below are listed some of those, as well as members of our parish who have received the vocation (calling) to serve the Church elsewhere.

Biographical sketches of our earlier clergy can be read in the historical booklet 1955-2005. 

Parish Priests

Father Edward Ward	1954 - 1958
Father Leo Walsh	1958- 1963
Father Tom Maudslay	1963 - 1969
Father Patrick Kelly	1969 - 1977
Father Anthony Wilkinson	1977 - 1984
Father Michael Ryan	1984 - 1999
Father Patrick Smith	1999 - 2013
Father John Lumley	2013 - 2014
Father Kevin Melody, O.Carm.	2015- 2017
Father Antony Lester	2017 -

Assistant Priests and other clerical support

Father Dermot O'Connor	1956 -1958
Father Philip Kelly	1958 - 1963
​Father John Murphy	1963 - 1970
​Father Kevin Thornton	1970 - 1976
​Father Tony Wilson	1976 - 1979
​Father John Berry	1980 - 1982
​Father Gerry Dasey	1982 - 1985
​Father Jerry Twomey	1985 - 1989
Father Eamon Kellegher	1989 - 1990
​Father Terry Dougherty	1990
​Father Bill East	1994 - 2000
Father Gerard Walsh, O.Carm.	2015 - 2017

Deacons

Reverend Peter Warren

2014 -

Lay Pastoral Ministers

Sr. Patricia Harriss, IBVM
Mrs. Angela Clarke	2001 - 2013
Dr. Johan Bergström-Allen, T.O.C.	2024 -

Other Vocations

Fr. John Morrissey, MAfr

​Father John Gregory Morrissey (1932-2002) was the sixth child of a familv of nine children. He attended the Catholic school in Blossom Street, York, then went to the college at Bishops Waltham of the Missionaries of Africa (The White Fathers). He came into contact with the White Fathers by meeting Father Newman whilst on leave from Tanganyika (now Tanzania). According to the magazine of the White Fathers / Sisters, John Morrissey was ordained priest at Galashiels in May 1958 alongside 8 other Missionaries of Africa. Father John then went to serve in Nigeria. According to his obituary, he served with dedication in Africa and the Missionaries' British Province, until ill health required him to retire in the 1990s.