Vocations & Ordination

Clifton Diocese is always seeking to encourage each one of us to consider more deeply how God is calling us to serve.

Click here to link in with the Clifton Diocese Vocations page

Priesthood

With a wealth of experience, a good place to start if you are considering the priesthood, would be to have a chat with our very own Fr Matt and Fr Michael.

Fr Matt was appointed as Parish Priest of St Bernadette’s in September 2015, then added St Dunstan’s in August 2019 and now also St Pius Xth and Sacred Heart since February 2022. Ordained in 2010, he has previously served as Assistant Priest in St Peter’s, Gloucester (2010-2012) and as Chaplain to the University of Bristol (2012-2015) and Vocations Director for Clifton Diocese 2(012 to 2019). He has shared his passion for Mission through running New Awakenings events for various parishes across the Diocese.

Fr Michael celebrated his 50th Anniversary of Ordination in December 2021. For 50 years, he has served as parish priest in several parishes. He may have stepped down from the responsibilities of being parish priest now but he is still here to assist Fr Matt. He is vey much involved with his retreat work at Emmaus House and looks forward to having time to develop his prison and environmental ministries.

Permanent Diaconate - within our family of parishes we are blessed to have Deacon Mark Forge and Deacon Lester Yeo. We also have James currently studying for the Diaconate. Any of them would be happy to have a chat with you if you are thinking of the Diaconate as a vocation.

Other vocations within the Diocese are to the Consecrated Lay and Single Life and Religious Life, both of which are open to both men and women.

Marriage is also a vocation that has its own page on our website here