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Our Priests
Father Keith Stoakes - Parish Priest
Father Ephrem Andom - Assistant Priest
Deacon - Thevakingsley Arulananthem
Father Keith Stoakes
Parish Priest
I am the second in a family of three boys, born and brought up in Poplar,
East London, the same parish as our former neighbour Mgr. Harry Turner.
Poplar has a good track record for providing vocations. My secondary Education
was at Cardinal Griffin School, Poplar (now sadly closed) My favourite
subjects were History and Woodwork. My call to the Priesthood
came via the class bully - but that's another story, and with the inspiration
of my Parish Priest Canon John Wright.
When I finally decided to do something about God's call I applied to the
Diocese of Westminster and was one of the first students to be accepted
for training by the new Archbishop, Cardinal Basil Hume. Sent to study
at Allen Hall, Chelsea. I soon found myself as a third year student living
out in the parish of the Holy Ghost and St. Stephen, Shepherds Bush. So
I am not quite a new face to the area, and may be remembered by some from
my student days. I served my Diaconate at Kingsbury Green and Eden Grove,
and was Ordained to the Priesthood by Cardinal Hume and Bishop Langton
Fox in September 1983. My first appointment was to St. Joan of Arc, Highbury,
but as there was no room there until January 1984 I spent my first two
months as a priest as Chaplain to University College Hospital before returning
to Eden Grove to spend Christmas helping Fr. Tony Turbett settle in to
his new parish.
St. Joan of Arc Parish, situated as it is with a certain football ground
in its parish would be an ideal posting for certain football mad priests,
however I am a football phobic (unlike my predecessor here!) preferring
more peaceful pursuits and hobbies such as judo, climbing, caving, Scouting
and squash. Whilst at Highbury I was chaplain to St. Aloysius College
Highgate, and also County Scout Chaplain for Greater London Central. In 1987 I was appointed as Director of Youth Retreats
at the Pastoral Centre, London Colney Here I encountered many school and
youth groups including a Confirmation Group from Our Lady of Fatima Parish.
These were challenging years exploring faith with young people. They were
also rewarding years as one gained often more than one gave. From my Seminary
Days I had maintained an interest in work with the Deaf and so when requested
was happy to help start a regular monthly Mass at the Pastoral Centre
for the Deaf Community in Hertfordshire.
In September 1992 I was appointed as Parish Priest to St. Jude's Clapton
Park. A Parish much like White City, with a large multicultural mix. There
was much to be done on a spiritual level of involving people in the life
and worship of the church and more so on the physical level as the church
building was in a state of disrepair. The community however was one of
deep faith and generous spirit and with motivation soon began to get involved
with the spiritual and the physical. Fund raising was begun to enable
repairs to take place, and the generosity for which the East End is famous
was soon to be seen. Some were so generous as to offer to pay vast sponsorship
to see their P.P. jump out of an aircraft from 8000 feet - without a parachute
attached! - With the prospect of such money to boost the building fund
how could I refuse to oblige - the parachute was attached to the instructor,
and I quite firmly attached to him!!! I was not long in the parish before
I was prevailed upon to be chaplain to Years 7 and 8 of the local Catholic
Secondary School, Cardinal Pole. As the Parish had no Primary School I
also found myself a frequent visitor to St. Dominic's and St. Scholastica's
Schools in our neighbouring parishes.
With a personal devotion to our Blessed Mother I have frequently led pilgrimages
to Walsingham - England's Nazareth - for an Annual Day of Prayer for Vocations
a day I have attended for over 20 years (only missing twice - once when my mother
died on the day of the pilgrimage in 1994 and in 2007 when our resident Deacon John Elliott was ordained to Priesthood) This pilgrimage became a popular
event for parishioners at St. Jude's, and has become so with parishioners
at White City.
It was at Walsingham in June 2000 that I met up with Mrs. Singh who asked
if I would come and teach some children at Pope John School to sign the
hymn "My God said to me follow" for Father Gabriel's leaving Mass. This
would be my second visit to the parish (my first was for the funeral of
Fr. Daniel in 1984). Shortly after making this arrangement I was summonsed
to Archbishops house and asked if I would take on the position of Parish
Priest at White City. I think the Archbishop was a little surprised that
he received an immediate "Yes". If, guided by the Holy Spirit, he thought
this was the place for me then who am I to disagree.
Contact was made with Fr. Gabriel, announcements were made, and on the
day I came to teach the children sign language I visited Fr. Gabriel to
get the low down on the parish. The rest - as they say - is history.
Father Ephrem
Assistant Priest Return
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Fr Ephrem was born in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to a family originally
from Eritrea. In Ethiopia only about one percent of the population are
Catholic, the predominant religions being the Orthodox church and Islam.
Raised in a Catholic family he was particularly influenced by his mothers
devotion and faith. The children were always expected to go to mass, they
were able to decide which of the services they would attend but it was
expected that they would definitely go!
During his teenage years Fr Ephrem always attended church, but any boyhood
ideas of the priesthood had disappeared as he felt unable to face all
the challenges. One of the most formative times of his life was when he
was at university studying accountancy. At the cathedral there was a Youth
Group which proved not only to have a powerful influence on his own life
but on five other young men, who all who all went on to join the priesthood.
In fact the practice of the Youth association became the pattern for all
parishes in the diocese. The association held many beautiful celebrations
and special youth masses. Father Ephrem belonged to the choir which frequently
practised together not only singing but praying and studying scripture.
Gradually Fr Ephrem found that he was spending more and more time working
for the church. He used to ensure that all of his studying was completed
on a Friday evening so that he was free during the weekend. Saturday was
spent with the choir, not only practising the music, but spending time
sharing faith together, reading the bible and praying. Saturday evening
was reserved for the Sacrament of Reconciliation which was celebrated
on a weekly basis. On Sunday morning the youth would gather early before
the mass started at ten o'clock. As many people would not have eaten for
some time before mass afterwards it was back to the hall for tea and bread
and the Youth meeting, sometimes with guest speakers. The different committees
would speak about what they had achieved during the week. Afterwards if
there was anyone in the community in need of help they would be visited.
It was a very powerful ministry, touching and transforming people's lives,
all of the youth looked forward to spending this very beautiful time together.
Fr Ephrem feels that it was that involvement that prepared him for the
priesthood. From his group of fourteen close friends came four priests.
In total there are six men from the youth group who became priests and
one religious sister who has taken her final vows.
It was during a retreat organised by the group that Fr Ephrem really a
major conversion of heart, a calling to a life more deeply devoted to
prayer. The retreat was in the form of a Life in the Spirit seminar and
the group returned transformed by their experience. Suddenly they were
not satisfied with anything they were doing. The group felt a particular
devotion to spending time together in prayer and reading the Gospel. Upon
his return Fr Ephrem slowly resumed his way of life.
Sometime after this, whilst playing football Fr Ephrem fell and fractured
his leg very severely. This entailed a months stay in hospital and a further
five months at home. He really missed the services and hid life, but also
realised that he had spent a great deal of time rushing everywhere, to
university, to the youth group and to the church. He was forced now to
be still. There was little to do except read, and he did so with an open
heart. He read two books that particularly touched him; 'Youth with a
Mission', a book about people who were missionaries and one about St Francis
of Assisi. Both of these books faced him with a direct challenge, 'What
am I doing here?' He decided at that time that the priesthood was for
him. He had not yet graduated but decided that when he had and was well
and free of the crutches that he would join a religious community.
Again the pressures of daily life resumed and he started to work, it was
a time of trial with Fr Ephrem unable to give much time or thought to
his vocation. Still of great importance was his time spent in prayer with
his friend from the Youth Group, discussing, sharing the bible and praying
together. His leg problem had been healed but he had a problem. He was
busy at work, equally busy representing the youth group on the parish
council, he felt that he desperately needed rest and approached his doctor
hoping for a break. The doctor only offered medicine that made him ill!
Fr Ephrem prayed, but felt a sense of terrible oppression. Usually he
knew the solution was to think about his actions during the day, but he
could not think what he had done to offend God. The only action Fr Ephrem
could take was to kneel and pray, to ask God what it was that could trouble
him so. The words of St Francis and St Paul echoed in his mind, 'O Lord,
what do you want me to do?'. Immediately the Lord reminded Fr Ephrem of
his call to the priesthood.
It was March at the time and too late in the scholastic year to start
studies, Fr Ephrem kept his own counsel. He prayed, 'I say yes to you
Lord, but I feel I need assurance, if you want me to become a priest let
me know during the summer.'. The burden had lifted and Fr Ephrem had peace
in his life again, so much peace that he really started to enjoy life
again.
Summer came and he had forgotten again. It was while spending some time
with one of his great friends from the youth group that he felt he had
finally received the confirmation he needed. Both the young men had been
called to the priesthood but had never shared it before, they knew that
the Lord had called them to take a step of faith. Fr Ephrem still looks
back to his time spent with the Youth Group with love and gratitude. The
group has spread all over the world now but remain united in prayer.
Fr Ephrem's family were quite shocked. It was not that they were against
the idea but that they had not expected it and had their own plans for
him to stay and help them for some time. Fr Ephrem was firm, he had to
enter the religious community. The time he spent as a postulant was very
blessed and beautiful to him, growing in faith and prayerfulness.
His formative training had been in Eritrea, leaving his family and friends
at the cathedral in Ethiopia behind. It was expected that his ordination
would take place in Eritrea and that any family and friends would travel
to be there. At that time though there was war in Eritrea. The war was
mainly being fought in the outlying country but had been moving closer.
The superiors summoned Fr Ephrem to tell him that the decision had been
taken to send him to Addis Ababa for his ordination. It was extremely
difficult to leave the country, thousands were fleeing, and waiting lists
for flights were months long. Two tickets were found, one for Fr Ephrem
and one for his friend who was also to be ordained. The pair were overjoyed.
Fr Ephrem had been baptised at the cathedral, made his first confession
there, hid first communion and his confirmation, now it was his great
delight to be ordained there as well. He tried to convey to me the great
love and fellowship that exists among the community. When people from
the Nativity Cathedral meet each other it is with great joy, they are
like one family.
When Fr Ephrem's Ordination day came he gathered his community around
him to celebrate. The memories of that day are vivid. 'I was really happy
and yet I wept all day. I struggled through the whole ceremony to be composed,
but when one of my close friends, who had already been ordained, greeted
me during the ceremony the tears started. I am not normally a man who
cries easily, even when something very sad happens. My family started
to cry when they saw me cry.' His feelings during the ceremony were of
humility and great love during the consecration he was overwhelmed by
the gift God had given him and prayed in awe, 'O Lord what have you given
me?'. After that mass as people came forward to kiss his hands all he
could think was , 'O Lord make me a good priest'. Fr Ephrem said, 'I was
so very happy. I couldn't thank the Lord enough for who I am and what
he has made of me.'
The early years of his priesthood were like a honeymoon, but like many
of us Fr Ephrem has had his hardships. In later years he spent some time
studying in Rome and came to London to visit his sister. While he was
here he offered his services at her parish, St. Mary of the Angels. He
returned to London later to work with the community based at St Francis,
so we have another priest in the parish who has moved to be with us after
Pottery Lane!
It is a wonderful blessing to have a priest with Fr Ephrem's special gifts
in our community. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to bless
him so that he will continue to be the good priest he prayed to be on
the day of his ordination.
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