In November Father Brendan announced that he will be retiring at the end of January.

Since that announcement Bishop Seamus has been trying without success to find a member of the Clergy to fill Father Brendan’s position at St Anne’s. Consequently he has asked Father Paul Zielinski to become St Anne’s Parish Priest as well his own parish St Augustine’s in Leam Lane Gateshead.

Father Brendan made that announcement last Sunday. Then on Tuesday of this week a meeting was held with members of the parish, Fr Zielinski and Fr Peter Layton to introduce himself and most importantly re-arrange mass times for both parishes.

After consultation and much debate it was decided that as an interim arrangement (until Summer) mass times would be 9.30 at St Augustine’s and 11.00 at St Anne’s. This arrangement will start from Sunday 4th February.

Whilst the new arrangements will not suit everyone. We as a parish are known to be fair minded and need to give the new mass times our full support.

Father Zielinski will still be based at St Augustine’s so St Anne’s Presbytery will be put on the Lettings Market.