PARISH STAFF & PCC

Father C R Schaefer, SSC – Vicar

Father Carl Schaefer was born in 1967 in Whalley, Lancashire, he was brought up in Rishton He was educated at Ss Peter & Paul’s Primary school in Rishton and went to S. Christopher’s secondary school in Accrington. On leaving school he entered a Plumbing Apprenticeship and upon finishing it he acted upon his vocation to the Priesthood and was sent on placement to Dunkirk as a Chaplains Assistant to the Port Chaplain at the Mission to Seafarers.

After eighteen months in France he started his formation to the Priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield and after three years began his ordained ministry at S. Mary Magdalene,Ribbleton near Preston as assistant Curate. After three very happy years he accepted the living of S. Thomas with S. Jude, Blackburn and six years later also became Priest in Charge of S. Michael with S. John and Holy Trinity, Blackburn.  He worked within the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Ministry as assistant Director of Ordinands.  In 2008 he crossed the Pennines, to accept the living of Goldthorpe and Hickleton. In February 2016 he was also licensed at Priest in charge of S. Andrew the Apostle, Bolton-upon-Dearne.

Throughout his ordained ministry, Fr Schaefer has been passionately involved in the Society of the Holy Cross and the Pusey Guild, serving that Society in a number of different roles Local Vicar, Provincial Secretary and Secretary General for the Society. He was elected provincial Master of the Society in December 2021. Care and support of those exploring a vocation, training or indeed following ordination is further area that Fr Schaefer is interested in.

He enjoys gardening and travel and his Covid lockdown interest became bee-keeping.

Father A Briscoe, SSC – Honary Assistant Curate

Father Allen Briscoe was born in 1942 in Haydock. He attended Liverpool University in 1961 and gained both is BSc and CertEd in 1965, starting his teaching career in the Chemistry Department at the former Cowley Girl’s and Boys Grammar Schools before they were amalgamated under the Comprehensive Schools system in the 1970’s. In 1968 he married his wife, Pauline also a teacher who he had know from childhood. Throughout Fr Briscoe’s teaching career, he felt a growing sense of a call to the Priesthood and leaving his role as Head of Science in 1990, continued his formation to the Priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, leaving in 1992. He served his title at S. Mark’s, Shiremoor between 1992 and 1995 and as Vicar of Ss Peter and John the Baptist, Barnsley between 1995 – 2010.

In his time in the Diocese of Wakefield he also served as the Assistant Ecumenical Officer, the Bishops Advisor for Ecumenical Affairs and spent 5 years as the Rural Dean for Barnsley.

Following both Fr and Mrs Briscoe’s retirement, they decided to make their new home in Goldthorpe and in 2011, Fr Briscoe was licensed as Honorary Assistant Curate for the Parish of Goldthorpe and Hickleton. Both continue to give of their time, talents and experience in every part of parish life, so much so that to say they were ‘retired’ would not seem to be the best description!