Fr Alec Fraser, 1980-1988.
Arranged for extension of the Church (completed in 1985), fabricating several items himself, including the altar, lectern, Paschal Candle stand and the stand now used to support the Advent Wreath. He was involved in establishing a pioneering covenant of unity with the other local churches in 1985, which has been renewed several times. He left to serve as chaplain at the University of Kent in Canterbury, and lived in retirement near Horsham, publishing a book of poems and dying in 2019.

Also resident – Fr Edward Matthews.
Ordained in 1962, Father Eddie resided at Hartley in 1984-1988 when director of the liturgy office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference. He returned to parish duties in the Westminster diocese in 1990, became a Cathedral Canon and retired from Bishop’s Stortford at the end of 2012, after 10 years in charge. He provided valued advice about extending our church and its consecration. He died in 2020.

Fr John Ryan MBE, 1988-1996.
Fr John arrived from Faslane, his last posting as a naval chaplain. He was keen to pay off the parish debt and the 14 stained glass windows are a lasting memento of his time here. He next served at Dover and then at Crayford, where he announced his retirement in July 2013. He will continue to live in the area.

Deacon David Moss.
David, a parishioner, was ordained in 1995 and ministered here until moving to Whitby where he continued his parish work, as well as working in the Middlesbrough diocesan offices until a few years before his death in 2020. He and his wife Annette both taught at St John’s school and were school governors. Annette produced the first edition of the blue-covered booklet on our church history.

Fr Hugh Bridge, 1996-2007.
Fr Hugh came here after many years work for the diocese, notably on training and education. He had a wide range of talents and interests and never got around to taking a holiday break; he died here quite suddenly, aged 58 and his body rests in Hartley Burial Ground. He upgraded the church heating and lighting, had the central pillar removed from the Meeting Room, replaced all carpets, added floodlights, tiled the shrine area (adding a kneeler and rail) and increased the range of votive lights on sale.

Fr Kevin Fitzgerald, 2007.
Fr Kevin administered the parish after Fr Hugh’s unexpected death, having previously ministered at Gillingham, Minster and Rainham and spent a year in New Zealand. He subsequently cared for the Sittingbourne parish (where he resided) and then became parish priest at Hersden, dying there in 2013. He had a lifelong association with the Scout movement. He left us with an updated list of anniversaries for our departed.

Fr Alex Saba, 2007-2020.
Fr Alex was born in Secondi, Ghana, but raised in Togo, his home country. He began training for the priesthood with the Comboni missionaries in Lomé, spending a few years in the Congo. He was sent to complete training at the Missionary Institute in London before joining the Diocese of Southwark to be ordained. He was Assistant Priest at Orpington and Tooting Bec before coming to Hartley and subsequently leaving for Folkestone. He was here to celebrate the parish centenary and left us with our own supply of votive lights for the shrine, a new confessional, toilets with facilities for the handicapped, plus new candle-holders and hangings for the altar, lectern and tabernacle.