Curia and Trustees

Within the diocese Bishop Declan instigated a review of diocesan structures and as a result created the Diocesan Department for Evangelisation and Adult Education and a new Department for Schools and Colleges. During this time, the Diocesan Liturgical Commission has also been reformed. He has launched a process of renewal entitled ‘Seeking the Face of Christ’ the purpose of which is to draw up pastoral guidelines for the development of the diocese. This resulted in our diocesan pastoral guidelines ‘Called to be a People of Hope.’ This involved all parishes and other communities that make up the Clifton Diocese. Bishop Declan is Chair to the Academy Project Board, HR and Schools and Colleges committees.

Mgr. Liam was born in Tipperary in 1962, second eldest of six boys. Following education in the local Primary School and Christian Brothers Secondary School, Mgr. Liam studied for the priesthood in St Patrick’s College, Thurles, and ordained for the Diocese of Limerick on June 11^th, 1988. After two year’s ministries as chaplain to a Third Level College in Limerick City, Mgr. Liam was given a loan placement in Clifton Diocese as Assistant Priest at Clifton Cathedral. He was incardinated as a priest of Clifton Diocese and appointed Assistant Priest to St Mary’s, Swindon in 1993 becoming Parish Priest there until 2010 where later he was appointed Parish Priest at St Peter’s Gloucester. In 2012, Mgr. Liam was appointed Vicars General of Clifton Diocese and became a Trustee of the Diocese. Mgr Liam is Chair to the Finance, Audit and sits on the HR committee.

Fr Colin trained for the priesthood at the English College in Rome and undertook studies at the Angelicum University there. He was ordained as a priest of Clifton Diocese by Bishop Declan in 2014. Fr Colin served as an Assistant Priest in Salisbury before being appointed Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, Westbury-on-Trym and St Antony’s, Henbury, Bristol. In 2022, Fr Colin was appointed a Vicar General of Clifton Diocese and became a Trustee of the diocese. He is also the Vocations Director for the diocese.  He also serves as a prison chaplain and a hospital chaplain in Bristol.  He sits on the following committees: Finance, Property, HR, and Clergy Welfare.

Parish Priest at Holy Rood, Swindon. On the 20^th of June 1992, Canon John was ordained having trained at the Beda College in Rome. His first appointment was to St George’s in Taunton as an Assistant Priest. After three years he moved to St Augustine of Canterbury in Matson, Gloucester as Parish Priest. He returned to Taunton in 2000 and then moved to Holy Rood Swindon in 2012 and Chard in 2023. Canon John is well known for his ministry with HCPT – The Pilgrimage Trust and has enjoyed many visits to Lourdes. He sits on the Risk committee.

Canon Richard is Vicar judicial and Vicar Episcopal for Matrimonial Matters and is the Parish Priest at St Catharine of Alexandria, Frome. In 1980, Bishop Mervyn Alexander ordained Canon Richard, in his hometown of Portishead and started his priestly career at Clifton Cathedral. After serving in Bristol, Taunton and Calne, he spent two years studying Canon Law at Leuven before his appointment as Parish Priest at St Thomas More, Cheltenham in 2002.

In 2002, Fr David was ordained. He is Parish Priest at both St Gregory the Great and St Thomas More, Cheltenham. Fr David is Chair to the Property Committee, Health and Safety, and Clergy Welfare Committee and sits on the Safeguarding committee and Finance committee.

Deacon Steve Boughton was ordained to the permanent diaconate in November 2013 and is based at St Aldhelm’s, Malmesbury. He serves on the Diocesan Vocations Team as promoter for those considering putting themselves forward for formation as deacons and is part of the team that supports our enquirers and existing deacons across our region. Originally, the managing director of a consultancy and for the last fifteen years he has specialised in company transformation, supporting large companies through strategic change around the world, leading large and complex operational, IT and HR programmes. He Chairs the Risk Committee and sits on the Property Committee.  

Richard became a Trustee in May 2021. He retired in 2018 from the Civil Service after 20 years in the National Probation Service, managing considerable risk offenders released from prison on parole and license. Prior to joining the Probation Service, Richard was a Magistrate in Somerset and a member of the Independent Tribunal Service, hearing DHSS and Child Support appeals. Richard is a Chartered Fellow of the CMI and a Chartered Scientist. He chaired NHS Research Ethics Committees in Bristol and Exeter. This role involved instructing medical students in ethics and consent. Richard has over 30 years’ experience of safeguarding and child protection and Chairs the Safeguarding Committee. He also sits on Property, Finance, Investment and Health and Safety committees.

Patrick lives with his wife, Beetle, near Chipping Sodbury. Since 2014, Patrick has been based in Bristol with the international law firm, Simmons & Simmons as Corporate Finance Partner. Prior to this, Patrick spent 17 years as a Partner at Osborne Clarke, having previously trained at Linklaters and Ashurst in London. Patrick was educated at Ampleforth College and Edinburgh University. As well as being a lawyer, Patrick is a coach and mentor, and has sat on the Boards of several charities. Patrick has three grown up boys and is a keen cyclist, walker, tennis player and fisherman – generally loves being in the wilds of the UK. He enjoys reading in church. From March 2023, Patrick is planning on switching his role at Simons & Simmons from Partner to Of Counsel. Patrick joined the Trustees in 2022 and sits on the Safeguarding committee.

Michael joined the Trustees in 2017 with a particular focus on education, having extensive experience as a School and College Governor (and Chair of Governors), as the Clifton Diocese Member to the Wiltshire Council Children’s Select Committee and to the former Schools Organisation Committee. Professionally he is a retired scientist and Laboratory Director with experience at Board Level in a leading research and development establishment. More recently he was a Consultant to the Health Protection Agency providing support to exercising the health service response to major public health incidents. In all these roles he has acquired knowledge and understanding of HR and training issues, change management, oversight of major construction projects, regulatory affairs, and health and safety in complex environments. Michael is a committed educationalist. He sits on Academy Project Board and Schools and Colleges committees.