When I’m asked how I ended up in Chaplaincy, I always say ‘by accident’... I started my working life out as a residential youth worker (you all know the type) and I absolutely loved it, but the time came to get ‘a proper job’ and Chaplaincy seemed a natural progression.

My first existence as a Chaplain was in the Archdiocese of Birmingham but it wasn’t long before I was drawn back into the world of voluntary youth work, working for the Salesians of Don Bosco. From there I went back into Chaplaincy, and spent four very happy years as Chaplain in an all-boys school in the East End of London. It was then that I made the move over to leafy green Surrey, for my first role in the Independent sector. So, although Chaplaincy was never the plan, this is now my 10th year in my current role and about my 16th in Chaplaincy as a whole!

I’m originally from Ireland and moved to Essex to work as a full time Secondary teacher… I thought I'd do a year, and then head home. 13 years later I am still here, and have moved to the south coast, first to teach and then I made the move into School Chaplaincy. After spending a number of summers as a Youth Leader with Arundel and Brighton’s Lourdes youth group -  Redshirts (Yr. 10/11) I felt that this move was calling me, and though I still do a little bit of KS3 teaching I have been full time Chaplain at St Richard’s in Bexhill on Sea for almost 10 years!

Outside of school I’m passionate about Theatre in all its forms, and when I’m not in school I’m most likely to be found either in rehearsal, onstage or watching theatre! For me, if I’m really honest, being a chaplain can at times be the loneliest of jobs, especially when working in a department of just one… So I want ACCE to be the support that I need when it all feels too much, and hope as part of the Executive I can ensure that support is there for others too.

I will begin by being honest: I never imagined that I would become a school chaplain. However, after 12 and a half years in chaplaincy, it is clear to me that God had something far greater in mind than I did. Looking back now, I can see how every step of my journey has gently prepared me for this vocation.

After leaving school, I entered the world of Catholic retreat centres, first working with the Salesian priests and then with the Salesian sisters. These three years were incredibly happy and formative, as I lived and worked in community and deepened both my faith and my understanding of service. This Salesian formation has shaped who I am and continues to underpin the way I approach chaplaincy today.

When I left retreat work, I went on to study Youth and Community Work, gaining valuable experience in secular youth work, which I thoroughly enjoyed. After graduating, I began searching for what I thought would be a “proper job”, yet everywhere I turned, chaplaincy roles seemed to find me. Eventually, I embraced this calling and was appointed School Chaplain across three primary schools and one secondary school in Accrington. After four rewarding years, I once again felt ready for a new challenge. Although I tried to step away from chaplaincy, I was soon approached about a role in an all-girls Ursuline school in South West London. Moving to London had always been a dream of mine, and this opportunity felt like the right next step. I spent five very happy years there, growing both professionally and personally.

When it was time for another change, a particular chaplaincy role appeared repeatedly, four times in fact, before I finally applied. This led me to a diocesan school in South East London, where I experienced a more pastoral-focused role and gained a deeper understanding of the richness and diversity of the local community. The two London schools I worked in were very different, yet both were equally rewarding in their own ways.

Now, I am delighted to say that I am at St Ursula’s Convent School in Greenwich. It is truly wonderful to be back in a religious order school, and it feels like a beautiful blend of all the experiences I have gathered along the way. Being part of this community has been incredibly uplifting, and it is a privilege to serve here. School chaplaincy certainly comes with its challenges, and there are days when I wonder how I ended up on this path, but I also know that it is a unique and deeply meaningful role. I feel truly honoured to accompany young people, staff, and families on their journeys of faith, growth, and hope.

I came to chaplaincy by accident - I never had a chaplain at school and didn’t even know that the job existed until I saw an advert! I went to university to be a journalist. A big mountain biking crash, while out filming for a website I’d set up, led to me having both a metal eye socket and a period out of action which meant I missed out on many of the graduate jobs. I ended up working as a TA in a Catholic primary school, where I quickly ended up taking responsibility for the prayer life of the school, leaning on my experience at Alton Castle to support the staff in school.

This experience meant that, when I saw a job advertised at Blessed William Howard in Stafford to be their Lay Chaplain, I knew it was the post for me! I loved chaplaincy, especially the opportunity to journey with and support young people. The need to pay a mortgage, and a growing family, led me to become an RE teacher. However, I always knew that chaplaincy was my vocation, and was delighted when I was able to get back into it in my current role. I’m looking forward to supporting as many people as possible, as well as learning from you all, in this role on the exec team of ACCE.

I’ll be honest, I never grew up imagining that chaplaincy would be “my calling.” After graduating from Leeds Conservatoire with a degree in Music Business, I was fully geared up for life in the music industry. But then came the Covid pandemic, and like for so many of us, the world flipped upside down. My career took a tour through all sorts of unexpected roles: warehouses, health care, education, each one teaching me something new. My first real encounter with chaplaincy came when I found myself working as an admin assistant in a Catholic high school. Watching the chaplains live out their ministry day-to-day, something stirred. I remember thinking, “I could do that…” Three weeks later, I’d applied for a chaplaincy role, been accepted, and honestly, I’ve never looked back.

When I began, I didn’t have much formal youth ministry experience beyond volunteering on our Archdiocesan Youth Pilgrimage to Lourdes. But growing up in a devout Catholic family, where faith was woven into daily life and my dad served as our parish deacon, I realised I’d absorbed far more than I ever gave myself credit for. Those foundations carried me through two and a half incredible years serving the young people of Wigan. Their energy, honesty, and joy shaped me profoundly. Feeling supported, strengthened, and encouraged, I took a leap toward a new challenge and stepped into chaplaincy at Cardinal Newman a Catholic Sixth Form College in Preston. And here I am answering God’s call, walking the path He’s set before me. I genuinely can’t imagine doing anything else.