A church in Stockport has apologized after a parish newsletter listed a convicted priest on its prayer intentions, attributing the inclusion to a “clerical oversight.” Our Lady and the Apostles church in Edgeley had notified parishioners that prayers of thanksgiving would be offered for Father Vincent Whelan, who was sentenced to prison in 2018 for sexually abusing a teenage girl.

The Shrewsbury Diocese acknowledged the error following public backlash and confirmed that the newsletters, both hard copies and online versions, would be withdrawn. A spokesperson for the diocese emphasized that Whelan is not involved in any public ministry and that the mention in the newsletter reflected the private prayer intentions of a parishioner, not an official church endorsement.

Parishioners expressed strong disapproval after seeing Whelan’s name. One individual, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were “disgusted” and initially believed the priest would be leading the Saturday Mass, as his name appeared under the “mass intention” section of the newsletter, albeit with a misspelling. The church later clarified that Whelan was not attending or leading the mass and that the prayer intention was submitted by a member of the congregation.

Vincent Whelan, formerly a parish priest at St Peter’s Catholic Church in Wythenshawe, was jailed for nine months after being found guilty of three counts of indecent assault against a vulnerable teenage girl during the 1980s. The abuse, which lasted approximately one year, involved grooming, including providing alcohol, followed by sexual assault. Whelan was 41 at the time he began abusing the victim, whom he befriended through her family.

The offenses came to light more than three decades later when the victim reported Whelan to authorities in 2017. At Manchester Crown Court, it was revealed that Whelan used his position of trust to manipulate the girl, convincing her not to disclose the abuse by warning he would lose his job if the allegations emerged. The court heard that he ambushed the victim on one occasion, forcing himself upon her and kissing her on the lips.

Judge Patrick Field QC described Whelan’s conduct as an “unacceptable abuse of trust” and highlighted the lasting trauma inflicted on the victim. Whelan was also subject to a sex offender notification requirement for ten years and a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim.

During the trial, defense counsel stated that Whelan had fallen “deeply in love” with the girl, characterizing his actions as the result of misplaced emotions. Despite the conviction, some individuals reportedly still spoke favorably of Whelan’s earlier work.

Following sentencing, a Crown Prosecution Service representative praised the victim’s courage and condemned Whelan’s exploitation of his clerical position to abuse a child. The Diocese of Shrewsbury continues to maintain a strict safeguarding plan for Whelan and reiterated that he no longer participates in any public ministry.