Salve! Fr Richard Marsden

We are delighted to announce that Fr Richard Marsden of the Diocese of Middlesborough will start this September as our new Vice Rector and as a Formation Tutor.

Fr Richard brings with him a rich experience of priestly ministry and a heart for working with young people and helping them in their discernment. He also has a great love for Rome and the Venerable English College after his years in formation here.

We are grateful to Bishop Marcus Stock for releasing him for this period, and to Fr Richard himself for saying yes to the appointment. Please keep Fr Richard and the whole College in your prayers at this time.

Fr Richard writes

“I was surprised and humbled to be asked to be the new Vice Rector of the Venerable English College. I thank Fr Stephen and Bishop Marcus for their trust and encouragement. I am very much looking forward to joining the Formation Team in September. It will be a great privilege, within the context of the Eternal City, to help prepare the next generation of priests to be zealous missionaries and faithful shepherds. I shall be relying on the example and intercession of our inspiring College martyrs to strengthen me for the work ahead.” 

 Short Biography

Fr Richard (Paul) Marsden was born and raised in Hull, East Yorkshire. After gaining a degree from the University of Sheffield in Journalism Studies, he contributed to Catholic publications (including The Universe) before becoming a news reporter for the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. After being accepted for priestly formation by the Diocese of Middlesbrough in 2010, Fr Richard studied at the Royal English College (Valladolid) and the Venerable English College (Rome). He has a Licence in Moral Theology from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

Fr Richard was ordained in 2018 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Middlesbrough, where he served as Assistant Priest before taking up a second curacy in the Yorkshire Dales. Since 2022 he has served as Parish Priest of Holy Cross, Cottingham, while also performing priestly duties at Castle Hill Hospital and undertaking chaplaincy work at St Mary’s College, Hull, where he went as a pupil.