Fr Gordon Read

I was born and brought up in Leigh-on-Sea, attending Westleigh and Westcliff High Schools.  After studying Classics at Oxford (Exeter College), I trained for the priesthood in the Catholic Church at St Edmund’s College, Ware and Heythrop College in the University of London.  After ordination on 31st July 1976 I served as assistant priest at Wanstead (1976-77 & 1979-83) and Barkingside (1983-1988) and the as parish priest at Ingatestone (1988-2000). Since 2000 I have been parish priest at Kelvedon with responsibility also for Coggeshall and Tiptree.  Having been involved in the setting up of a youthwork charity (CYP) in Coggeshall in 2006 I was pleased to be involved in the starting of a similar project for the young people of Tiptree about 2011 and to represent the local Catholic community as a trustee.  In addition to the above, I obtained a degree in Canon (Church) Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1979 and have served the Diocese of Brentwood as Diocesan Chancellor since 1983 and also as Judicial Vicar since 1985.

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