Our Vincentian Ministry in the UK

The dioceses in the United Kingdom, in response to “Erga Migrantes Caritas Christi” (The Love of Christ towards Migrants), established fifty-eight ritual and linguistic migrant chaplaincies throughout the country. These chaplaincies provided pastoral care for the migrant communities from different cultures, languages and Rites. The Church entrusted these services to different diocesan parishes and Religious Congregations.

The Irish Vincentians, who have houses and parishes in Westminster, Brentwood, Southwark and Northampton Dioceses, established migrant chaplaincies in collaboration with the provinces of Philippines, Ethiopia, Eretria, Nigeria, Spain and South India. Fr. Chacko Panathara CM joined the migrant mission of the Vincentians on September 17, 2004, and provided pastoral care to Kerala Catholics from Syro-Malabar and Latin Churches for three years. With the respective hierarchies of these Independent Churches addressing this pastoral ministry, Fr. Chacko collaborated with the Irish Vincentians for three years at Dunstable in Northampton Diocese to assist in the parish ministry.

Meanwhile, the Southern Indian Province explored the possibility of stating a mission of its own in the UK. This effort was successful as Bishop Christopher of Plymouth Diocese in Southwest of England invited the confreres from Southern India in 2011 to provide pastoral care in parishes. Subsequently, Fr. Chacko moved to Blandford Forum parish as the parish priest and worked for four years. Later he moved to Holy Family parish, Kinson. In 2013, Christ the King parish and Our Lady of Victories and St. Bernadette in Ensbury Park were amalgamated and formed into one parish with Holy Family, Kinson. At the request of Bishop Mark of Plymouth Diocese, Fr. Chacko took charge of this parish in 2017. In February of 2022, Fr. Babu Mattapilly CM joined the UK Mission along with Fr. Chacko. The confreres provide pastoral care to local parishioners of these English Churches as well as the Kerala community around