Our Parish Priest

Fr Mark Moran was born and raised in the Northwest of England and worked as a baker, a chef, and then a school bursar before going off to seminary. He came to the diocese in September 2002, having completed 4 years of seminary training in Valladolid and Rome. To get orientated within the diocese, he completed his first year at Sacred Hearts in Charlton Kings and gave administrative support to the Diocesan Safeguarding Office in Alexander House, Bristol. He completed his seminary formation by completing a Mission Theology Degree in London. He was ordained to the priesthood at Clifton Cathedral in July 2005 and was appointed to Holy Rood in Swindon. After only serving a year as an assistant priest, he was appointed parish priest at St Thomas More in Cheltenham from September 2006 to 2008

In September 2008, he became the parish priest of Christ the King, Amesbury. During his nine years at Christ the King, he carried out a major refurbishment of the church, house, and site. Then, in September 2017, he became the parish priest at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In addition to the usual parish pastoral work, Fr Mark has been a school chaplain, a school governor (including being Vice Chair and Chair), the treasurer of the National Conference of Priests of England and Wales, and a chaplain for Fanning the Flame.

He has a very down-to-earth approach and is happy to call ‘a spade a spade’. He is passionate about prayer, spending time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as helping people encounter God by living out his faith as part of the community he is called to serve.

Fr Mark became parish priest at the Shrine of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury on 1st September 2025.