Welcome Father Malcolm
Sacred Heart Church in Amble said good-bye to Father John with a spectacular farewell party at the Bede St. Club.
In his place comes Fr. Malcolm Cairns from the parish of Blackhall. Fr Malcolm is a late vocation to the priesthood being ordained in 1998 after a life in industry.
He was born in Gateshead and went to school in Newcastle. He studied Industrial Chemistry at University then researched for an industrial chemist company. This took him on many travels including a week on an oil-rig!
He studied and gained a degree in theology at Ushaw College and returned to prepare for ordination having obtained acceptance from the Bishop as a candidate for the priesthood.
Asked what led him from industry to the priesthood he replied, “the incessant demands from Him above that I should enter His service.”
He served as Parish priest in Blackhall for 13 years and is accustomed to working with other churches in the interest of ecumenism. He looks forward to establishing a happy relationship with Amble and parish, while recognising the sadness each parish must experience in losing one priest for another.
Lou Pickering
