Fr Marc, who graduated from Leeds Trinity with a degree in Theology in 2014, was ordained a Catholic Priest for the Diocese of Leeds at Leeds Cathedral by the Bishop of Leeds, Rt Rev Marcus Stock.

After graduating from the University, Fr Marc undertook a number of different roles, including joining the Order of Friars Preachers (Dominicans). After two years, he returned to Leeds to start his training to be a Diocesan Priest.

As part of this, Fr Marc was sent to study at the Venerable English College in Rome, a place which brought back fond memories of the Chaplaincy trips he had previously been on as a student at Leeds Trinity.

The seminary training to become a Priest takes approximately seven years and is made up of four key areas: Academic, Pastoral, Spiritual and Human Formation. After a student has completed their studies, they return to their home dioceses where they will be ordained a Priest.

Fr Marc joins a series of ordinations from Leeds Trinity. Over the last nine years, five alumni have become Priests, including the University Priest Chaplain Fr Marc Homsey, and a recent graduate is currently at seminary.

Fr Marc Pitson said: “My ordination was a day of immense joy, which was the end of a long journey of discernment and formation which first took root at Leeds Trinity. On the other hand it was the beginning of a new chapter of my discipleship, walking with the Lord and serving Him and His Church, a journey I look forward to with great hope and excitement.”

In further news, Revd Professor Jane de Gay, Professor of English Literature at Leeds Trinity University and Co-Director of the Leeds Centre of Victorian Studies, has been appointed an honorary member of the team at the Minster Church of St-Peter-at-Leeds, the city’s historic major church.

She will hold the title of Lecturer, a post that dates back to the nineteenth century and reflects long-standing links between the church and academia. She is the first person outside of the University of Leeds to hold this post.

As well as preaching and leading worship at the Minster, the role will help Professor de Gay share her research with a wider public and further Leeds Trinity’s links with faith organisations in the city.

Revd Professor de Gay said: “I am very excited about this appointment. It will help me deepen the synergies between my vocations as priest and professor because the Minster has a long tradition of embracing faith and scholarship. This public role is very much in line with the core values of the University and it brings opportunities for new partnerships and collaborations – not least because the Minster is just a few streets away from Leeds Trinity’s planned new city-centre location.”

Professor Charles Egbu, Vice-Chancellor at Leeds Trinity University, commented: “Congratulations to Fr Marc Pitson on his ordination to the priesthood and Revd Professor Jane de Gay on her appointment at Leeds Minster. These are remarkable achievements which reflect the strong connection between faith, our University and the city of Leeds. We are proud to welcome students from all backgrounds and beliefs, and be part of a community that supports the principles of dignity, respect, social justice, equality, and inclusion.” 

Read more about Leeds Trinity on the website.