Fr Darren Jones – Ordination and First Mass at the Cathedral

On the morning of Saturday 25 July Fr Darren Jones was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by Bishop Marcus in a ceremony at Leeds Cathedral.The current restrictions meant that it was possible for only a limited number of invited guests to be present in Cathedral for the Ordination Mass, but to date over 4,000 people have watched the video of the service on the Cathedral’s dedicated YouTube channel.

Fr Darren was ordained Deacon at Oscott College last December and when the lockdown began in March he came to reside at at Cathedral House, while completing his seminary studies on-line. During this period he became a familiar figure to viewers of the daily live-streamed Masses from the Cathedral.

A feature of the Mass on Saturday was the music which Fr Darren had chosen personally and which was sung by the cantor Dominic Rose, accompanied by  Cathedral Organist, David Pipe. Fr Darren’s choices included Mass Setting IX (Missa cum iubilo); the Magnificat from the Second Service (Byrd), at the Offertory; and Ave verum (Elgar) at Holy Communion.

The following day the Cathedral celebrated its Patronal Solemnity of St Joachim and St Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it was also the occasion for Fr Darren’s First Mass, celebrated at 11.00am. The homily was preached by the Rector of St Mary’s College, Oscott, Canon Giles Goward. At the end of Mass Fr Darren paid a heartfelt tribute to the Rector, staff and students of St Mary’s for all their support and friendship during his studies for the priesthood. He aslo extended a similar “thank you” to the Cathedral community, of which he was himself a member long before he embarked on his journey to priestly ordination.

Last week Bishop Marcus announced that in mid-August Fr Darren will take up appointment as Assistant Priest in the Parish of St Austin & English Martyrs, Wakefield. He will also be Priest Chaplain to St Thomas Becket Catholic Academy and Chaplain to Pinderfields Hospital.

We offer Fr Darren our warmest congratulations on his Ordination and our prayers and best wishes for his priestly ministry in the years ahead.

To see a gallery of photographs from Fr Darren’s Ordination please follow this link https://www.patricksicephotography.co.uk/blog/ordination-darren-jones

If you would like to watch the recordings of either the Ordination Mass or Fr Darren’s First Mass at the Cathedral please follow this link: http://www.leedscathedrallive.org.uk