I am priest for Esh Winning, Ushaw Moor, Esh and Langley Park. These parishes also take in Waterhouses, Cornsay Colliery, Quebec, Bearpark and New Brancepeth – and all the houses and farms in between! Our primary schools for these parishes are St Joseph’s in Ushaw Moor, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Newhouse, Esh Winning and St Michael’s in Esh. As well as being priest and so involved in a pastoral capacity, I am also a foundation governor for our three primary schools.
For most of my life I have enjoyed walking. After a bit of a health glitch last year I am now back to decent walking and, having been in town parishes most of my life, I can now enjoy the local countryside of West Durham. I very much enjoy reading too, both fiction and non-fiction.
Children often ask me which bit of ‘being a priest’ I enjoy most. They probably think it will be the big church services or getting dressed up in the church vestments but no, for me, the best part of being a priest is to be able to meet people in their own homes and to listen to their stories. Every one of us has our own unique story of our journey through life. It’s always fascinating, and a privilege, to hear people’s stories.
