It is with sad news we announce the death of Fr John William Wiley on 24 May 2025, at home in the presbytery of St Bede’s, Croxley Green.
Fr John was born on 1 April 1947 and ordained to the priesthood on 21 June 1975. Condolences are extended to Fr John's family, friends and colleagues, and to his parishioners at Croxley Green, where he had served since 2014, and other parishes where he served as a priest of the Diocese of Westminster.
Fr John’s only sibling, his sister Judith to whom he was close, died in February this year. Please God they will be together to share the fullness of life in heaven.
Fr John’s mortal remains will be brought to St Bede’s, 185 Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green WD3 3LL and received by Fr Timothy Mangatal on Monday 30 June at 4.45pm. There will be a Requiem Mass at 7pm with Fr Andrew Gallagher presiding.
The Funeral Mass will be at St Bede’s on Tuesday 1 July at 12noon followed by burial at Allum Lane Cemetery, Borehamwood WD6 3NN at 2pm. Bishop James Curry will preside and give the homily at the Funeral Mass.
We pray for the repose of Fr John's soul:
Almighty and eternal God,
hear our prayers for your son Fr John
whom you have called from this world to yourself.
Grant him light, happiness and peace.
Let him pass in safety through the gates of death, and live for ever with all your saints in the light you promised to Abraham and to all his descendants in faith.
Guard him from all harm
and on that great day of resurrection and reward raise him up with all your saints.
Pardon his sins and give him eternal life in your kingdom.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
St Bede, pray for him.
Obituary
Born on 1 April, ‘April Fools’ Day’, Fr John William Peter Wiley MA BD was an intelligent man. Intellectually gifted and physically too – he was a qualified soccer referee.
He was baptised on 11 May 1947, six weeks after his birth, at Sacred Heart and St John the Evangelist, Bushey. He was educated at Rosary Priory Primary School from 1952-55, then at the Salvatorian College in Wealsdstone from 1955-58 and from 1958-65 at Watford Boys Grammar School, achieving several ‘O’ Levels and three ‘A’ levels with grade A passes in Latin and Greek and B in Ancient History. He was confirmed in July 1956 at St Joseph’s, Wealdstone. After Watford Boys Grammar, John went on to study at Trinity Hall, Cambridge University where he achieved a good degree in Law in 1969. While at Cambridge he attended daily Mass at Fisher House, the Catholic chaplaincy, and became involved in the life of the chaplaincy where Fr Richard Incledon was Chaplain. The Chaplain was aware of John’s sense of vocation but was concerned that John seemed to find it difficult to relax and to form friendships. Nonetheless he was supportive of John’s desire to be a priest and believed that John’s intelligence would help him to cope with whatever problems he might face. John applied to the Diocese for acceptance as a student for the priesthood. He was advised to complete his studies in Cambridge and then get a job for a year or two, perhaps in a ‘tough’ Secondary Modern school, either the Cardinal Griffin school in Poplar or St James’s in Burnt Oak.
The Dominican Sisters at St James’s arranged for John’s employment teaching English, Geography, History and Christian Doctrine. During the period in which he taught he began to be more relaxed, grew in confidence and better able to relate with other adults and with teenage children. He and his mother and sister continued to be involved in Bushey parish, his mother was in the choir and his only sibling, Judith, was President of the Legion of Mary. Having been accepted as a student for the priesthood John was sent to Allen Hall seminary in Ware, Hertfordshire in 1970. He flourished as a conscientious student achieving good exam results and enjoying the community life of the seminary. In July 1974 he was ordained to the diaconate in the college chapel by the Bishop of Portsmouth, Derek Worlock who went on to become Archbishop of Liverpool. John was ordained to the priesthood in his home parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus and St John the Evangelist, Bushey and Oxhey, on 21 June 1975 by Bishop Gerald Mahon MHM, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster.
John gained valuable pastoral experience from his time as a deacon in the parish of St Bernadette, Hillingdon. His first appointment as a newly ordained priest was Assistant Priest at St Anselm and St Cecilia, Lincoln’s Inn Fields where he served from 1975-80 when he was appointed Assistant Priest at St Margaret of Scotland, St Margarets-on-Thames. In 1982 he moved to take up his appointment as Assistant Priest at St Catherine’s, West Drayton. During this appointment much of his time was taken up with hospital chaplaincy. Fr John moved from West Drayton in 1984 to take up his next appointment as Assistant Priest at St Mary’s, Cadogan Street in Chelsea. In July 1987 he was appointed Parish Priest at The Good Shepherd, Shenley. While at Shenley he oversaw the building of the new parish hall, called St Wilfrid’s Hall after the founder Parish Priest of Shenley, Fr Wilfrid Soggee who died in August 1990. The hall was officially opened in April 1991 and blessed by Cardinal Hume later that year. Fr John served as the Dean of St Albans Deanery from 1994-97 when he was re-appointed for a further three years.
The death of his mother in 1997 was very distressing for Fr John. He dedicated his first book, ‘Preaching the Gospel’, written in the same year, to his mother. He went on to write and publish five more religious books, including his version of the Stations of the Cross. After thirteen years in Shenley Fr John left before Christmas 2000 to take up his next appointment as Parish Priest at The Holy Family, West Acton. In September 2014 he took up what was to be his final appointment, Parish Priest at St Bede’s, Croxley Green. He made weekly visits to his sister, Judith, and kept up with friendships from previous parishes. In 2019 Judith left her home in Bushey to live in a care home because of her declining health. Regular visits from Fr John continued. He had his own health concerns, having been diagnosed with cancer two years ago.
The death of his sister in February 2025 was very difficult for Fr John and left a void in his life. He began making plans for his retirement from parish ministry while being attentive to the needs of his parishioners. Plans were being made in the parish, unknown to Fr John, for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, on 21 June. However, Fr John died at home, in the presbytery, on 24 May. He had received the invitation that Cardinal Vincent had sent to celebrate his Golden Jubilee of ordination to the priesthood, with other jubilarians, with Mass and a festive lunch at Archbishop’s House on 25 June. His absence will be felt and he will be remembered by the Cardinal and all who will be there.
Fr John was a faithful and dedicated priest with a pastoral heart and a fine mind. He had an extraordinary gift of memorizing scripture texts and quoting them without the need of notes. Totally committed to serving his parishioners, Fr John lived simply and frugally, eschewing worldly pleasures and content in his own company. His mild eccentricity was endearing, his close relationship with the Lord was evident.
May the humble soul of Fr John, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
