Parish Pastoral Council

President

Father Anthony McKentey

Fr Anthony McKentey was appointed Parish Priest of Colchester in October 2009.

Fr Tony, as he is usually known, was born in Chelmsford in 1950. He attended St Philip Priory School there, and then Campion School, Hornchurch, when it first opened in 1962. After school, he worked for a short time at the Prudential Insurance Company in Holborn. In the summer of 1970 he paid his first visit to Lourdes which was a turning point in his life, and on his return applied to Bishop Casey to study for the priesthood.

He began his seminary studies at St Edmunds College, Ware, in September 1970 and was ordained in the College Chapel there as a Deacon on the 29th June 1975. He served as a Deacon in St Mary’s, Hornchurch and was ordained to the Priesthood in his home parish of Blessed Sacrament, Chelmsford, on March 27th 1976. He served as Assistant Priest in Holy Family, Benfleet, from 1976 to 1979; St Augustine’s, Barkingside from 1979 to 1983 and Brentwood Cathedral from 1983 to 1988. In 1988, he went back to St Augustine’s, Barkingside, as Parish Priest when it became a “one-man” parish, and remained there until his Silver Jubilee in 2001. During his time there funds were raised to set up a Parish Youth Centre and one of the parishioners, Paul Fox, was ordained there in 1998. In 2001, Fr Tony was appointed to Our Lady Queen of Peace, Braintree, where he spent eight happy years until the Bishop asked him to become Parish Priest of Colchester.

Fr Tony looks forward to learning about the life stories of his parishioners whilst he is with us.
 

Chair

Mark Lee

Mark is a father of 4 (Abby, Imogen, Nathanael and Angharad). He is a Eucharistic Minister. Mark is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and gained a Masters Degree from The Open University. He is a Colcestrian by birth and spent his early Christian life as an Anglican. He was received into the Catholic Church in this Parish in 1987, subsequently serving as a School Governor for the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, and later as Vice Chair of the Parish Pastoral Council at St Teresa's Colchester. Mark can usually be found at Masses at Priory Street on Sunday 6:30 pm and Saturday 6:15 pm.

Mark serves as chair of the council.

Vice-Chair

Olive Newland

Olive was born and brought up in Scotland, attended university in London, lived in Oxfordshire and is now a resident of Mersea Island. Her daughter Keziah shares her appreciation of travel and has recently moved to West London. Olive has worked in education throughout her career. Her varied career path has included teaching in secondary schools, the design and delivery of school support services and consultancy work. Olive now works for Essex Local Authority as a senior manager in the Schools, Children and Families Directorate. She is also a volunteer Crisis Support Worker for the Essex Crisis Support Team and a Fellow of the RSA. As a Eucharistic Minister she enjoys the opportunity to get involved in the parish life on Mersea and is parish secretary for St Cedd and St Gregory. Olive is a Mercy Associate and values the strong and prayerful support from the Colchester group. Olive can be found at the Sunday 8.30am Mass at St Cedd and St Gregory in West Mersea.

Olive represents St. Cedd and St. Gregory-Mersea Mass centre and serves as vice-chair of the council.
 

Secretary

Donald Clarke

Donald was received into the Catholic Church in this Parish in 2005. He was born and has lived all his life in Colchester. He has a BSc. degree in Computer Systems from the University of Essex and is a Chartered Engineer. He is married to Stephanie who has 3 grown-up children living in the United States. Donald and Stephanie are normally to be found at the Saturday 6:15 Mass at Priory Street. They are involved in the Ministry of Welcome and the Soup Run and are particularly interested in the plight of the elderly.

Donald serves as Secretary of the council.

Mary Davies

Hywel Edwards

Frances Galvin

Details will be put here shortly.

Michael James Irvine

Michael represents St. Joseph-Mile End Mass centre.

Andrew Johnson

Andrew was born in Altrincham Cheshire and is married to Elspeth who is a Eucharistic minister. They have 2 sons. He is Master of Ceremonies for the Parish. He currently works as a Science Teacher at Alec Hunter Humanities College in Braintree, and is a Chartered Biologist. In his spare time he is an active member of the Scout Movement recent appointments being as Assistant District Commissioner for Scouts in Colchester East and a member of the Jamboree Organizing Team for the World Jamboree 2007 to be held at Hylands Park in Chelmsford. Recently he joined the Catenian Association. He moved to the parish with his wife Elspeth and sons George and Alexander in May 2004, and has been very active in parish life. He can be found at the 10:30 am Mass at Priory Street and most parish activities when he is not Scouting.

Teresa Sales

Teresa was brought up in Felixstowe, educated in Ipswich, and very nearly became a nun, but qualified as a nurse instead, followed by marriage and the raising of two children. A traumatic 'crisis of Faith' in the early 1980s resulted in a prolonged absence from the Church until, thanks to the influence of her daughter, and the patient guidance of the parish clergy, she returned in 2001. Teresa is a member of Colchester Choral Society, Colchester Theatre Group, and the Colne Endeavour Music Club where disabled and able-bodied members make music together. She believes that parishioners, young or old, should be kept informed about matters which concern them. She usually attends the Friday morning and Sunday evening Masses, carrying out one or other of the various lay ministries, and is currently helping to re-establish the parish Justice and Peace group.

Lenore Sykes

Lenore was born in Trinidad West Indies. She trained and worked as a nurse, midwife and health visitor. She came to England and married late husband Roger whose work as a paediatrician took them to Nigeria with their three young sons. She ran a small nursery before going back to work in the Nutrition, Education and Rehabilitation Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. She was a catechist at St. Albert's Catholic Church and also found time to work with local girl guides at nearby secondary schools. Returning from Nigeria to London she went back to work as a midwife and nurse. In London she taught catechism to children with learning difficulties, worked at the night shelter and assisted with serving food to homeless people in Islington. She was a member of the Union of Catholic Mothers and the Justice and Peace Group as well as a Eucharistic Minister. Moving to Colchester in 2006 she continues in the Eucharistic Ministry and was invited to serve as a member of the Parish Pastoral Council at St. James the Less and St. Helen. In 2009 Lenore founded the Colchester branch of the Union of Catholic Mothers and serves as their President. Lenore has four grandchildren and usually attends 10:30 am Sunday Mass and often attends evening Masses on Saturday and Sunday at Priory Street.