It has been announced today that Father Ray Brennan is retiring as Parish Priest of our neighbouring parish of West Wickham after many years of faithful service. He has been on our prayer list – please pray for him as he begins his retirement. The archbishop has asked me to become Parochial Administrator of St Mark’s parish with effect from Advent Sunday in two weeks’ time. The focus of my pastoral ministry will shift to West Wickham, where the archbishop wants me to maintain a ‘daily presence’ in St Mark’s.
My teaching responsibilities will remain unchanged in the diaconate formation programme at St Mary’s University and Allen Hall Seminary in Chelsea. St Mark’s is a feeder parish for St Mary’s school and I will remain part of the school chaplaincy team, and I will still be part of the chaplaincy team at our local hospital.
Thank you for your support to me over the last twenty-seven years, which I hope will continue, and please pray for me and my family at this time; and for the parish of West Wickham.
Fr Ashley