Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of  Westminster, has appointed Father Pat – our Parish Priest – a member of the Westminster Cathedral Chapter of Canons in October 2004. 

Father Pat has been formally installed as a Canon in Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday 7^thOctober 2004 at the 5.30pm Chapter Mass by the Cathedral Provost, Canon Michael Brockie.

The Cathedral Chapter is the Cardinal’s College of Consulters.  They meet every month at the Cathedral.  In the inter- regnum between Archbishops, the college are responsible for the running of the Diocese.

Father Pat was born in 1948 in Ratoath, Co Meath, Ireland. He is the eldest child of the late Jack and Lucy Browne.  He has four brothers and two sisters.

Father Pat studied for the Priesthood, at the Jesuit Apostolic School at Mungret College Limerick for one year.

He spent the next six years at All Hallows College Dublin and in 1974 was ordained for the Diocese of Westminster.  While he was at All Hallows he also studied Singing at the College of Music, Dublin, under Maura Tyrrell.

He was appointed Assistant Priest at St Edmund’s Parish, Edmonton and after three years he was transferred to Westminster Cathedral where he was Cathedral Chaplain with particular responsibility for Liturgy for the next eight years.

In 1985 he became Private Secretary to the late Cardinal Basil Hume. In 1990 he was appointed Parish Priest of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, Kentish Town.  After eight and half years in that role he became Vocations Director and Promoter for the Diocese.

In 2001 he was appointed Parish Priest of Holy Apostles, Pimlico. At the same time he became the Director of the Programme for the Permanent Diaconate.  In October 2010 he completed his term of office as Director for Deacons and was appointed by Archbishop Nichols as the first ever official Roman Catholic Duty Priest to Parliament since the reformation.  He carries out his duties there and continues in his role as parish priest of Holy Apostles, Pimlico.

Sister Louise

Sister Louise

Father Pat has asked me to write something about myself for the Newsletter.  This is something I have never done before so I find it somewhat daunting!! 

Although my life has been very blessed, it has been very ordinary.

I come from Ardee, Co Louth, Ireland.  When I was in my teens I got to know the daughters of Charity in Drogheda.  I used to see the Sisters going about their work – visiting people in their homes, running a clinic for the sick, and teaching in the school.

I always admired them but had no desire to join them – at least, not then!  When eventually God did call me to the Religious Life, it was to their Community that I applied for admission.

I did my formation as a Daughter of Charity in Dublin, but since then my work has been in England and Scotland.  My work has been in the field of Child Care – working with deprived children, or with deaf children.  I have also worked in homes for the elderly.  For the past six years I have had my first experience as a Parish Sister.  It was a very happy and rewarding experience.

Now I have been asked to come and to work in Holy Apostles Parish. I am very happy to be here, and I look forward to getting to know you all.  Remember, that I don’t know you as yet – so please make yourself known to me.  No doubt you will have to tell me your name a dozen times.  Be patient with me.  I will get it eventually.

Some of you have asked me if I knew Sister Louise, who worked here many years ago.  Sadly, I didn’t.  However, only last week I stood at her grave in Mill Hill, as another daughter of Charity was laid to rest with her.  She seems to have been quite a character, so I have a lot to live up to, if I follow in her footsteps.

I shall be grateful for your prayers, and will remember you all in mine as we work together in Holy Apostles.

Sister Louise, Daughter of Charity

Canon Pat Browne

Canon Pat Browne