Please find below the members of our Safeguarding Committee.
Baroness Nuala O'Loan (Chair)
Baroness Nuala O’Loan DBE MRIA is a member of the House of Lords. She is Chair of the Catholic Council for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, appointed by the CBCEW and the COREW; is a Member of the Trust Board of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster and Chair of the Trustee’s Safeguarding Committee. Among other things, she was Chair of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel appointed by the Home Secretary; a member of the Independent Review of the Human Rights Act, appointed by the Lord Chancellor; is a member of the International Steering Group for Operation Kenova, investigating the activities of an alleged British Army agent, known as Stakeknife, and murder cases from the Northern Ireland Troubles. She was formerly the Chair of the Governing Authority of Maynooth University. She was the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and later Ireland’s Special Envoy for Conflict Resolution. She has acted in an advisory capacity on policing and police accountability across the world and was involved in the Spanish peace process leading to the voluntary ceasefire in 2011. A solicitor, she held the Jean Monnet Chair in European Law at the University of Ulster and has served on numerous public bodies. She is the recipient of a number of honorary doctorates in recognition of her work and is a member of the Royal Irish Academy.
Rev Monsignor Seamus O'Boyle (Episcopal Vicar for Safeguarding)
Born and raised in Kilburn, North West London. Attended the local Parish Primary School and the Cardinal Vaughan School in Kensington. Subsequently studied for the Priesthood at the Venerable English College in Rome. Undertook post-graduate studies in Fundamental Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University obtaining a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL). Ordained a Priest of the Diocese of Westminster by Cardinal Hume in 1981. Assistant Priest in Fulham and then a team member for five years of the Catholic Missionary Society based in Golders Green. Parish Priest in Poplar, and then in Whitton. Has served as a School Governor in a number of Diocesan Schools. Appointed Vicar General for the Clergy by Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor in 2005. A Trustee of the WRCDT since 2006. Parish Priest of Warwick Street while Vicar General. After stepping down from the role of VG, appointed Parish Priest of Islington, and in 2018 also Episcopal Vicar for Safeguarding of the Diocese. Gave written evidence at IICSA and was a member of the Safeguarding Commission until it evolved into the Trustee's Safeguarding Committee. Recently appointed Parish Priest of Hertford.
Andrzej Wdowiak
Andrzej Wdowiak works for the Diocese of Westminster, currently as Director of Youth Ministry with particular responsibilities for implementing robust safeguarding policies and procedures relating to retreats and activities with children and young adults.
During his time with the Diocese, he was responsible for setting up Caritas Bakhita House, a safe house for women who have been trafficked, enslaved and exploited, working with the local statutory services on its policies and support network.
He read Theology at the Catholic University of Leuven and holds an MSc in Voluntary Sector Management from the London School of Economics.
Andrzej has committed his working life to charities in different countries and in different fields, including work with asylum seekers and refugees, homeless people, vulnerable adults, young offenders and people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. He ran hostels for young people with high support needs, with particular responsibility for safeguarding.
This work was accompanied by relevant training from Local Authorities in issues around domestic abuse and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
Mary Coller
Mary Coller has extensive safeguarding experience gained as a Metropolitan Police Service Detective together with roles as a School Governor and Parish Safeguarding Officer.
Fr Stephen Coker
Fr Stephen Coker has formerly held positions in Psychiatric care, as a Chaplain and in residential care working with adults with mental health difficulties. Following ordination to the priesthood in 1996, he became Catholic Chaplain at HMP Highdown and then HMP Pentonville until he retired from the Prison Service in 2018. He has served on the Safeguarding Commission, then Safeguarding Committee, since 2015.
Kevin Barry
Kevin Barry was an Assistant Chief Probation Officer before his retirement after 36 years of work in the criminal justice system. He has been a case worker, a team leader and regional manager, with a specialist knowledge of restorative and juvenile justice. He has also worked in European probation services and for five years was chair of the Jesuit Safeguarding Commission.
Edward Morgan
Dr Ed Morgan KC, JCD, PhD FCIArb FRSA, a member of the Bar of England and Wales since 1989 and the Bar of Northern Ireland since 2000. He has remained in private practice throughout the ensuing period specialising in the fields of employment, regulatory and corporate governance. He was appointed a fee paid Employment Judge in 2000 and Assistant Coroner in 2018. In addition to his civil law qualifications, he holds a licence (JCL) and a doctorate in canon law (JCD). He is a regular speaker on civil and canon law issues and has contributed to a wide range of legal publications. From 2010, he has been a Fellow of The University of Cardiff, Centre for Law and Religion. Since 2016, has served as Visiting Professor of Canon Law at the Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven. He has served as a member of a number of specialist committees at the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and was a member of the Canon Law committee which formed part of the Elliott Review. He is now the Chancellor of the National Tribunal Service established by the CBCEW to deal with all Canon Law proceedings.
Rachel O'Driscoll
Rachel O’Driscoll has over 30 years’ experience in the legal services sector, developing and implementing strategy, policy and practice in a wide variety of areas, including on regulatory and standards issues, education and training and better communication with vulnerable clients, witnesses and defendants. She was lay Vice Chair of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (the predecessor body to the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency), sitting on the Commission for over 6 years. Her involvement in safeguarding and support for the vulnerable is informed by having a daughter with a learning disability. Rachel is currently studying for a doctorate, which researches the lives of disabled people in London, their families and their communities.
Bernadette Herbert
A Retired Nurse and Midwife serving 43 years in NHS. She has worked in Women’s health services for 27 years, including 11 years at senior management level and management of children’s safeguarding teams. A Senior Nurse with responsibility for Adult Safeguarding in an Acute Trust 2011-2021. Volunteer Nurse for Westminster Diocese Lourdes Pilgrimage medical team 2011-2020. Parish Safeguarding Representative in Stevenage since 2020 and member of the Westminster Diocese Trustee’s Safeguarding Committee since 2022.
