Fr Jeffrey Dodds

Parish Priest

Fr Jeff writes…

I was born in North Shields in October 1965 and grew up in the Wallsend and Howdon areas. I have a sister called Tracy, who is four years younger than me. I was blessed with a happy childhood, and after Sixth Form ‘A’ Levels had my life planned out, or at least that’s what I thought! I was keen to study biology at university and then teach, but God had other ideas and was asking me to consider becoming a priest. At age eighteen to keep my parents happy, I filled out an application form to begin an apprenticeship as a Design Ships Draughtsman at Swan Hunter’s Shipyard in Wallsend. This was not what I had planned! Surprisingly, I got the job! Four years at Swan’s with wonderful colleagues allowed me to grow and develop as a person. Work was like being with my family each day with lots of support and challenges from men many years my senior. Robson Green, the local actor from this part of the world, worked in the same drawing office just opposite my desk. Little did we know that we would follow similar but different paths later in life!

In 1987, I began six years of training and formation at Ushaw College, Durham. My desire to become a priest deepened with study and placements in local parishes within Sunderland. I was ordained a priest on the 26th June 1993 in St Mary’s Cathedral by Bishop Ambrose Griffiths. I returned to serve the people as an Assistant Priest at St Mary’s Church, Sunderland. The next three years saw me involved in various chaplaincy work at Sunderland University, the Oaklea Sisters of Mercy Convent and primary and secondary schools. The daily city centre 12.05 pm Mass was often well attended and helped me to grow in confidence as I am naturally a shy person. Other appointments have been in parishes at Peterlee, Newcastle University Chaplaincy, Consett, Gateshead and Stockton. Thirty-two years have now passed, and I now find myself in Northumberland, serving as Parish Priest and as a Vicar General for the diocese. 

Northumberland has been a land of many Saints over the centuries, and we constantly seek their friendship and heavenly prayers. May we become Saints together in this beautiful, but needy world we live in. May God continue to bring to fulfilment the good work he has begun in us. Please be assured of my daily prayers.

Fr Jim Dunne

Assistant Priest

Fr. Jim writes ...

           I was born in January 1948 (yes, that long ago!) and grew up in the Wallsend & Howdon areas of what is now North Tyneside (then, Northumberland). I went to St Cuthbert’s Grammar School in 1959, then, after ‘A’ Levels in 1965, I entered the senior seminary at Ushaw College. During my six years there, I spent three at Durham University. Those were six years of enormous change at Ushaw, the Church in general, and in all of our society. I was ordained in the old church of St Aidan, Willington Quay, on 30^th October 1971.  

          In January 1972, I was appointed as curate at Houghton-le-Spring in Co Durham. In September 1972, I was sent to teach at St Cuthbert’s Grammar (later High) School, Newcastle, where I remained until the Summer of 1989. By then, I was the last priest-teacher in the diocese. Full-time teaching, with laypeople as colleagues, and later, as ‘boss’, had a huge impact on my relationships with the laity in the Church – I see us as collaborators in one single purpose.

          The Summer of 1989 saw me move to be parish priest at St Patrick’s, Consett, then the biggest congregation in the diocese (about 1250 at Mass). I was there for 11 years, leaving in 2000, to go south to Newton Aycliffe.  Then unexpectedly, I was moved at short notice to Sacred Heart, North Gosforth, in February 2008, a month after my 60^th birthday.

        Although the move was a shock, I easily settled in. Many of the parishioners knew me from my teaching days, and I quickly became involved as a school governor of St Oswald’s Primary School, and of the Sacred Heart Girls’ High School. I’ve been very happy these last 12+ years: the parishioners are kind, gifted and involved. We have succeeded in getting young people to serve at Mass, and, from Year 5 up, to join the adult Sunday reading teams.

        The main feature of North Gosforth parish has been the growth of new housing: the Newcastle Great Park is now a town-in-itself; other areas north of Newcastle (mostly in the parish) are also being greatly expanded. This has given many new parishioners but also needed a big expenditure of energy. That’s been the problem. Since I turned 70, the parish has gradually become too much for me, with a greatly increased number of baptismal enquiries, and First Communions (32 were meant to be done this summer).  Some months ago, Bishop Robert, aware of this, asked me to go to one of the smaller Northumber-land parishes, and “help out” the priest in the larger hub; this turned out to be Bellingham, helping Fr Chris there, as well as in Hexham and Haydon Bridge.

        Despite my age (72-and-a-half), I hope can offer something to your scattered communities. I do have health issues with asthma and arthritis - plus deafness! But (thank God) I am still mentally fairly alert, and I’ve kept the sense of humour that got me through awkward times in teaching.  On my Tuesday day-off, lay friends and I usually walk in Northumberland & North West Durham – we were in the North Tyne Valley last Autumn, so I’m used to the roads in the area. The photo will show me as a big, bald bloke – so if you see me around, do stop and say hello. Please be assured that, whatever I still have, I’ll do my best to give it to you. 

Fr Paul Kilduff

Assistant Priest

Fr Paul writes...

I am a native and strong football supporter of Sunderland's Championship team. I studied for the Priesthood at Ushaw College Durham and later at Oscott College, Birmingham. Archbishop Malcolm McMahon ordained me to the Priesthood on the 8^th July 2023, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle.

Vicki Winder

Parish Secretary

Vicki joined us as Parish Secretary at St. Mary's in June 2022.