Five Ordinations in Arundel & Brighton

Bishop Keiran with Deacon Robert and family

Five men have been ordained to the priesthood or diaconate in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton by Bishop Kieran Conry in recent weeks. Adrian Burnett and Michel Joseph Côté were ordained to the diaconate on 30 June, and on Saturday 21 July Chris Dobson and Alan Sharpe were ordained to the priesthood at Worth Abbey, West Sussex and Robert Wellbelove was ordained to the diaconate in Knaphill, Woking, Surrey.

Deacon Adrian Burnett lives in Guildford Catholic parish with his wife and family and will be serving there as a deacon as part of the parish team which now also include the newly ordained Fr Alan Sharpe. Deacon Joseph Côté who is also married with children, and who is originally from Canada, lives and will carry out his ministry in St Erconwald parish, Walton-on-Thames. He is already a prison chaplain in which role he will continue. Deacon Robert Wellbelove who has been a parishioner of St Hugh of Lincoln in Knaphill for many years with his wife and children will continue to assist the current parish priest, Canon Jeff Scott.

Fr Chris Dobson was a permanent deacon, but following the sad death of his wife decided several years later to pursue a vocation to the priesthood. He had been an accountant in a firm in Crawley and will now carry out a very different role as a member of Crawley Catholic parish clergy team. Fr Alan Sharpe who had been a well known Anglican minister in Brighton will now work in Guildford Catholic parish, bringing a vast experience of many years ministry. He was in particular well known for the Homeless centre he set up in the Anglican Church of St Patrick's in Brighton.

All five bring huge talents and gifts to their new roles and will be a wonderful addition to the work of the Church in the home parishes as well as in the diocese as a whole. Bishop Kieran Conry was overjoyed to be presiding at all of the ordinations, but reminded all of us at Worth Abbey that there is still a tremendous need for new vocations, especially to the priesthood and it was all our responsibility to invite men to consider this great vocation.

A diocesan spokesperson said: "This Saturday was a great end to these few weeks of ordinations of men to the priesthood and diaconate. We pray for them and their families, and that their ministries will be fruitful. We pray too that many more men will follow them to help build up the body of the Church and offer themselves in service the whole of the people of God and the world."