Pastoral Team

These are members of our clergy.

	Fr Francis Moran - Parish Priest I was born in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales in 1961 into a large Catholic family. I went to the local catholic and comprehensive schools. After leaving school I studied at All Hallows College Seminary in Dublin for four years and then worked for a year at South London University Chaplaincy for Southwark diocese as a lay worker.Then I went to the University of Kent at Canterbury and studied for an honours degree in theology. After university I returned to seminary at St John's Wonersh and after a pastoral deaconate year I was ordained priest at St Cecilia's Church, North Cheam in 1989. I was Assistant Priest in the Isle of Sheppey and Norbury before spending a short time as Administrator at Peckham Rye. I next spent just over a year in the Canterbury parish as Also Resident while recovering from a serious illness. I was then appointed parish priest at St Catherine of Siena, Chessington in 1999. Whilst there I did an M.A. in Contemporary Catholic Theology. In 2004 I was appointed here to St Andrew's.
	Fr Chima Ibekwe - Assistant Priest I am a priest of  Aba diocese in Abia State, Nigeria. I trained for the priesthood at St Joseph Major Seminary Akwa Ibom State and was ordained on 21st July 2001. I worked in many parishes and the State Polytechnic as a chaplain.
	Fr Con Boyle - Assistant Priest Con is short for Cornelius who came from Southern Ireland to Upper Norwood parish at the age of 3 in 1957.  I attended the then Diocesan Junior Seminary at Mark Cross, Sussex during 1965-1969 and the Senior Seminary, St John's Wonersh during 2001-2007.  I was ordained priest on June 14th 2008 in my home parish of Virgo Fidelis, Upper Norwood, after completing one year as a Deacon at St Peter's Woolwich.  My parents, Kathleen and Christopher, are deceased.  I have 2 sisters, Anne and Miriam.
	Rev Tony Flavin - Deacon I was born in Battersea in 1958. The second youngest of 12, I attended Battersea Park parish (sometimes Stockwell) and went to St Mary's primary school. In 1970 I went to Bishop Thomas Grant school leaving in 1975 with one much prized O'level. I started work in New Covent Garden Flower Market soon after and am now in my 30th year in the flower trade. In 1982 I married Wendy, moving first to Streatham and then in 1986 to Thornton Heath. Wendy and I have two daughters who having both attended St James The Great now go to St Philomena's. Wendy works as a Nursery Nurse at St Chad's school in South Norwood. Having started my studies in 2000, I was ordained to the diaconate in June 2003.
	Sr Mary Jude - Parish Sister I have been a member of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary and Joseph for over 50 years. In the parish I help to organise and run the Baptismal course, visit people who are housebound or in nursing homes. I am a Eucharistic Minister, reader and a member of various groups including the Pastoral Team.
	Sr Jennie Eldridge - Parish Sister I was born and brought up in Portsmouth on the south coast of England.  My father was English.  He died three years ago.  My mother a Scots American from Chicago is still alive and living in Bexhill-on-Sea and I go down to visit her each week. I left home at 18 to go to Coloma College of Education.  I taught for three years and then left teaching to work for a travel company.  I entered the Daughters of Mary and Joseph in 1975. Since making my first profession I have worked in Addiscombe parish, St. Thomas More’s Middlesborough and 14 years in Our Lady and St.Philip Neri, and the Church of the Resurrection parishes in Sydenham (which included being on the chaplaincy team at St. Christopher’s Hospice).  In 1994-1995 I lived in Dublin and participated in a “Leadership and Formation.” course.  I returned to England and was parish sister for 9 years in St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Portsmouth.  I had a brief spell helping to run the Emmaus Retreat Centre at West Wickham and then became parish sister in St. Gertrudes, South Croydon from there I was moved to St. Andrew’s Thornton Heath on 1st January 2009.