Deacon Peter Coates

Peter Coates has been involved in St. James’s parish since 2001 when he and his wife Kathleen came to live in Twickenham with their son Alister. Peter had been a Methodist minister, having trained at Richmond College. He worked in churches and in Education in South East London and Kent. Kathleen studied theology at Cambridge.

Immediately prior to coming to St James, the Coates family had been living in Moldova. Initially, Peter worked there on a European Union reform programme “Tacis”. This programme was set up to help reform the country’s vocational training colleges.

At the end of this contract, Peter was asked to continue to work for the church by the Apostolic Administrator for Moldova (Mgr Anton Cosa). Peter and Kathleen became voluntary missionaries and their son attended secondary school, Liceul M Eliade.

During their four year stay in Moldova, Kathleen founded and led the Moldovan Catechetical Institute to which people travelled from all over the country. Peter assisted in the Apostolic Administration and the parish of Sacred Heart, Stauceni where they lived and began his formation for the diaconate.

Mgr Anton was ordained Bishop by Pope John Paul II on the Feast of the Epiphany at the beginning of the Holy Year and he ordained Peter on the same Feast a year later. Peter is still the only Permanent Deacon incardinated to the Diocese of Chisinau, Moldova but a new candidate has begun formation.

Deacon Peter worked for three years on the Chaplaincy Team at HMYOI Feltham, where he set up a Community Chaplaincy project.

In May 2005, Peter was awarded a contract to work as a senior consultant for Economic and Social Affairs in Moldova. This work involves spending two weeks out of every six in Moldova and a long commute! Kathleen continues to work as Catholic Chaplain at HMP Bronzefield in Middlesex. 

In August 2005, Peter and Kathleen moved out of the parish to an area where they could afford to buy a property.  Alister has returned from a successful gap year and has started university life in London. Whilst the Coates family are no longer permanently based in Twickenham, they intend to remain closely linked to the parish and community of St James. Deacon Peter has played a key role in parish life at St James’s. He was very involved and committed to the RCIA programme; confirmation preparation groups; the weekly bidding prayers and sermons and fundraising initiatives for Moldova.