Deacon who sang at Pope's funeral to be ordained

Paul Moss, the English Deacon who sang the Gospel during the Funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II in St Peter's Square, Rome, on 8 April, is being ordained priest, in Leamington Spa, this Saturday. Paul will be ordained by the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, at St Peter's church, Leamington Spa, at noon. He was accepted for formation as a student for the priesthood in the Birmingham Archdiocese in 1999, and studied at the Venerable English College in Rome. Speaking in Rome on Friday 8 April after the Funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II, Paul Moss said: "It has been an extremely moving experience. It was a great honour and privilege for me to be the deacon for this Mass and to proclaim the Gospel to so many millions of people throughout the world." Archbishop Vincent Nichols, also speaking from Rome, where he did commentary on the Pope's Funeral for BBC Television, said: "We are all very proud of Paul. He did everything that was asked of him with dignity. But I know it won't go to his head." Archbishop Nichols added: "I pray and trust that Paul will be a splendid priest for the Archdiocese of Birmingham." Father Aldo Tapparo, Parish Priest of St Peter's, Leamington Spa, said: "Paul is a fine and focused young man, and it has been a pleasure to see the seeds of his vocation blossom over the years that I have known him. I look forward to his ordination to the priesthood, and I am sure he will be a fine priest." Paul Moss was born in Cowley, Oxford, on the 20 February 1977. He attended St Mary's Primary School in Bicester and Magdalene College School, Oxford, 1988-95. He regularly served Mass at the Birmingham Oratory, founded by Cardinal Newman, while he was studying theology at Birmingham University, 1996-9.