BISHOP ALAN WILLIAMS SM

The Bishop of Brentwood, Alan Williams SM, was appointed the new Episcopal Liaison Bishop for The Union of Catholic Mothers in Spring 2015. He took over from Bishop Terence Brain following his retirement as Bishop of Salford after over 20 years of faithful service to the Union of Catholic Mothers.

Bishop Alan was born in Oldham, Lancashire on 15th March 1951. He took his final vows in the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers) in 1981 and was ordained priest at St Anne's Whitechapel on 30th April 1983. Bishop Alan holds degrees in Theology, Psychology and Religious Education and has served in a number of pastoral roles. He has worked as a teacher and chaplain in secondary schools. He also served as Catholic Chaplain at Sheffield Hallam University and taught Christian Spirituality at postgraduate level.

He is a former Major Superior of the Marist Fathers in England, a post he held from 2000 - 2008 and he has worked as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Southwark. He has also been the Director of the National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham, with responsibility for pilgrimage and retreat work.

Bishop Alan was appointed 7th Bishop of Brentwood on 14th April 2014 and his episcopal ordination tookplace at Brentwood Cathedral on 1st July 2014.