FROM OUR ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Blessings and greetings to you: the parish community of Holy Name of Mary Catholic Chapel! I am Father William, located in the Pyrenees Mountains of France. I am honoured and blessed to be named as the Associate Pastor here at Mary's Chapel. I would briefly like to introduce myself to you I pray that as time goes by, we will get to know each other much better.

I was born in the United Kingdom in a town called Middlesbrough in a mixed family: my mother was Roman Catholic my father was an Anglican, I have two brothers one in heaven with my parents and the other who runs his own motorcycle store in London.

I felt the call to the priesthood when I was only 8 years old, this happened at Easter Sunday Mass. I continued to work hard at school and college. I studied for the priesthood at the seminary in London and in Rome, whilst in seminary in London I worked with the homeless, the abused and a children's hospital.

Following the completion of my theology and philosophy degrees, I put my plans for the celibate priesthood on hold. I began working in London, where I met, fell in love and married my wonderful wife Heidi. Following our marriage, we felt the call to move to France, which we duly did in 2006.

Whilst our time has had many challenges we have been and continue to be very happy here. Whilst in France I re-connected with my desire to be ordained and after much soul searching and prayer, I was ordained into the Old Roman Catholic Church here in our local parish church. Sometime later I was accepted into the Society of Mercy and was appointed Society Chaplain and Vocations Director for Europe. During this time, I was blessed to meet Fr. Daniel and following my  guest homily at the Chapel I am humbled and blessed to be the Associate Pastor.

I pray that we will all continue to grow in our love for Jesus and his Blessed Mother, and know that I am here for you and that you will be constantly in my prayers and Masses. I invite you to email. May God continue to bless you and those you love. Lord, have mercy.

Father William Young, SSM +