Canon Michael Branch
Cathedral Dean
cathedraldean@rcaos.org.uk
Canon Michael Branch was formed for the priesthood at Campion House, Osterley, and St John’s Seminary, Wonersh. He was ordained priest on the 31st May 1997, serving as assistant priest at St Joseph’s, Roehampton and St Saviour’s, Lewisham. In 2006 he became Parish Priest of St Patrick’s, Plumstead. He then spent nine years as Parish Priest at St Peter’s, Woolwich, before taking on his present position as Dean of St George’s Cathedral. Canon Michael is delighted to have returned to the area where he originates. In fact, he was born at the top of Westminster Bridge Road and the Cathedral is where generations of his family have received the sacraments.
See the Dean's Welcome here.
Father Jackson Sebastian
Sub Dean
jacksonmaveli@rcaos.org.uk
Fr Jackson was born into a Catholic family in Kerala, the state on India’s tropical Malabar southwest coast with the highest proportion of Catholics in all of India. He was an altar server from an early age, and was inspired in his vocation by the assistant parish priest. After leaving high school, he attended St Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church where he studied philosophy and theology for three years.
Fr Jackson was ordained in 2010 together with two close friends from his hometown and 39 other new priests. He arrived in the UK in 2019, to work firstly at Our Lady of the Annunciation in Addiscombe near Croydon, then moving to Sacred Heart Church, Wimbledon in 2023. Amongst his many qualifications, Fr Jackson has a diploma in Spiritual Guidance and Counselling. He is also a musician and plays the piano, guitar and flute.
Father Joseph Gulliford
Assistant Priest
josephgulliford@rcaos.org.uk
Fr Joseph was born in Greenwich and raised in South-East London. After completing his school education, he joined the Sion Community for Evangelism for a year – spreading the Gospel in schools around the country. Following this, he read Ancient History at Liverpool University, before staying on to serve the Catholic Chaplaincy for a further year.
After a period of work experience, including joining the committee for the Krakow World Youth Day, he joined St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, in Autumn 2016. He had an extended placement in St Edmund’s, Beckenham, in 2019-20, before returning to St John’s for a year before its closure in 2021. His Seminary formation concluded in Allen Hall Seminary, Chelsea, whilst he was serving as a Deacon in Sacred Heart Parish, Wimbledon. He was ordained a Priest in 2022 at the Cathedral and appointed to St Thomas More, East Dulwich. Fr Joseph is a keen musician, guitarist, singer, worship leader and composer of original contemporary praise and worship music.
Father Robert Sugg
Priest in Residence
Fr Sugg trained in the St John’s Seminary, Wonersh in 1985 until 1990. Following his ordination to the Diaconate on 7th July 1990, he worked as a Deacon in the Parish St Andrew’s in Thornton Heath. Fr Robert was then ordained as a priest on 9th June 1991 at St George’s Cathedral by Archbishop Michael Bowen.
Fr Robert has worked at many different parishes in Kent and Surrey and also spent four years at the Catholic Missionary Society as part of team travelling to various parishes throughout England and Wales. During this period he also travelled to Loyola University in Chicago to participate in training courses for the CMS. He then returned to work in UK parishes before finally returning to the place of his ordination, his home parish of St George’s Cathedral. Fr Sugg enjoys history, particularly Tudors and Stuarts, and reading and puzzles.
Rev Javier Elderfield
Cathedral Administrator and Deacon
cathedraladministrator@rcaos.org.uk
Deacon Javier is a married permanent deacon with a family of five children. He was ordained in 2009 and was appointed to St Saviour's parish, Lewisham Deanery, ministering there for twelve years. He worked full time as the Chaplaincy coordinator for Christ the King Sixth Forms, based at CTK Emmanuel, Lewisham for 21 years. Before then he worked as a secondary school music teacher. Deacon Javier now works as the Cathedral Administrator.
Cathedral Staff:
Deacon Javier Elderfield
Cathedral Administrator - cathedraladministrator@rcaos.org.uk
Paul Waite
Site & Facilities Manager - cathedralfacilities@rcaos.org.uk
Jonathan Schranz
Diocesan Director of Music - cathedralmusic@rcaos.org.uk
Alex Flower
Cathedral Organist - cathedralorganist@rcaos.org.uk
Rachel Costello
Cathedral Secretary - cathedralsecretary@rcaos.org.uk
Visit our Music Department pages to see a full list of Music staff at the Cathedral.
The Archbishop
For information about the Archbishop of Southwark, The Most Reverend John Wilson, please visit the website of the Archdiocese of Southwark.