A Costa Rican priest who has worked all over north London has found his first parish to lead.
Our Lady Help of Christians in Lady Margaret Road, Kentish Town, gave a warm welcome to their new parish priest Fr Allan Alvarado Gill on September 8.
Fr Allan was introduced at all the Sunday Masses by Fr John Deehan, who is retiring.
Fr Allan, who comes from Costa Rica, told the congregation: “I came here 20 years ago to learn English and I have stayed ever since.”
Ordained in 2018, Fr Allan’s first appointment was at St John the Evangelist and Blessed Sacrament in Islington.
He has been working as assistant priest in Willesden Green and Kensal Rise parishes since 2019.
Our Lady Help of Christians is a lively parish with its halls in Falkland Road home to a nursery, a ballet class, martial arts, an Alcoholics Anonymous group, over 50s groups, keep fit classes, and a knitting club.
Parish volunteers also cook a homeless lunch every Sunday for up to 80 people and in the winter months they run a cold weather shelter together with other local churches.
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