Recent Clergy Appointments 

Monday 25th September 2017

Over the summer there were announcements in some parishes regarding appointments the bishop has made of new parish priests and these will all have come into effect by mid-September.

We need to serve our parish communities in the best possible way, but also take the Gospel out to the marginalised as Pope Francis asks us. This calls for some changes and so, over the past few months, quite a number of priests have been asked to take on new appointments and quite a few parishes have welcomed new parish priests.

In addition to the reappointment of some clergy, a number of priests have also announced their retirement. We give our thanks for their many years of service to the diocese and assure them of our continued prayers as they settle into retirement.

Recent Clergy Appointments 

Fr Dermot Heakin has been appointed Parish Priest of St Osmund’s, Breightmet
Fr Paul Blackburn has been appointed Parish Priest of Corpus Christi, Hollinwood
Fr Simon Stamp has been appointed Parish Priest of St Joseph’s, Accrington, in addition to his responsibility as PP of St Anne’s.

The Schoenstatt Fathers have relinquished responsibility for St Ethelbert’s, Dean, Bolton
Fr Morrough O’Brien has been appointed Parish Priest of St Ethelbert’s, Deane, in addition to his responsibility as Parish Priest of St William of York, Bolton.

Fr Peter Tierney has been appointed Diocesan Youth Chaplain (resident at St John Bosco’s Presbytery, Blackley)
Fr Bernard Wilson has been appointed Parish Priest of St Stephen’s, Droylsden

Fr John Hitchen has been appointed  Parish Priest of St Catherine’s, Didsbury

Fr Gerald Murphy has been appointed Parish Priest of St Ann’s, Stretford

Fr James Clarke has been appointed Parish Priest of St Patrick’s, Collyhurst

Fr Christopher Lough as Parish Priest of St Anne’s, Fairfield

Fr Steven Parkinson has been appointed as Parish Priest of St Michael’s and St Bernadette’s, Whitefield

Fr Michael Job has been appointed Parochial Administrator of Immaculate Conception, Failsworth

Fr Alphonsus Anaele CSSp has been appointed as the Parochial Administrator of St  Willibroad , Clayton, and St Anne and St Brigid, Ancoats and Bradford.

Fr Joseph Kiwango CSSp has been appointed as Assistant Priest of St  Willibroad , Clayton, and St Anne and St Brigid, Ancoats and Bradford

 

Fr John Broadley has been appointed as Parish Priest of St Marie’s, Haslingden

 

Fr Gerard Haugh has retired from the parish of St Edmund and St Patrick, Bolton

Fr Michael Haworth has been appointed Parish Priest of St Edmund & St Patrick’s, Bolton

Fr Allan Swift has been appointed as Parish Priest of St Mary Magdalene’s, Burnley, in addition to his responsibility as Parish Priest of St John the Baptist and St Philip the Apostle, Padiham.

 

Fr Seamus Quigley has retired from the parish of St Joseph’s Todmorden.

Fr Geoffrey Marlor has been appointed Parish Priest of St Joseph’s, Todmorden

Fr Rob Moreland SMA has been appointed Parochial Administrator of English Martyrs, Whalley Range

 

Fr David O’Kane has retired from the parish of Sacred Heart, Rochdale.

Canon Michael Buckley has been appointed Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, Rochdale

Fr Kevin Murphy has been appointed as Assistant Priest of Sacred Heart, Rochdale

Monsignor John Dale has been appointed Parish Priest of St Edmund’s, Little Hulton, in addition to his responsibility as Parish Priest of Christ the King, Walkden

Fr George Cheeramkuzhy has been appointed as Assistant Priest in the parishes of Christ the King Walkden, and St Edmund’s, Little Hulton.

Fr Sajan Joseph has been appointed as Assistant Priest in the parishes of St Kentigern’s, Fallowfield, and St Edward’s, Rusholme.

 

Canon Tony Dorran has retired from the parish of St Mary’s, Osbaldeston.

Fr Leo Heakin has been appointed Parish Priest of St Mary’s, Osbaldestson, in addition to his responsibility as Parish Priest of St Mary’s, Langho.

 

Canon Bill Byrne has retired from the parish of St Thomas of Canterbury, Heaton, Bolton.

Fr Patrick Tansey has retired from the parishes of St James the Great, Montserrat, Bolton, and St James’, Halliwell, Bolton.

Fr Christopher Gorton has been appointed Parish Priest of St Thomas of Canterbury, Heaton, Bolton, St James the Great, Montserrat, Bolton, and St James’, Halliwell, Bolton.

Mgr Peter Wilkinson has been appointed Parish Priest of Good Shepherd, Colne

Fr Brian Kealey has been appointed Parish Priest of The Sacred Heart parish, Darwen (the newly formed parish following the amalgamation of the parishes of St Joseph’s, Darwen and Sacred Heart & St Edward’s, Darwen).

Fr Peter Hopkinson has been appointed Parish Priest of Christ the King, Burnley, in addition to his responsibility as parish priest of St Mary’s, Burnley.

Fr Blaise Amadi CM has been appointed  as Assistant Priest in the parish of Christ the King, Burnley

 

Fr Richard Howard has been appointed Assistant Priest in the parish of St Mary’s, Horwich.
Fr Joe Gee has been appointed Assistant Priest in the parish of St Mary’s, Oswaldtwistle
Fr Alfred Rebello has been appointed as Assistant Priest in the Cathedral Parish and the parish of St Joseph’s, Ordsall
Fr Michael Deas, has been appointed as Assistant Priest in the parish of Our Lady and St Joseph, Heywood

 

Fr Gavin Landers, newly ordained, has been appointed as Assistant Priest in the parish of St Charles, Swinton

Fr Mark Paver, newly ordained, is returning to Rome to complete his studies.