By putting Eucharistic adoration at the heart of his ministry, Father Mark Wharton has helped students encounter Christ in daily life.
Shortly after he was ordained in 2022, Father Mark Wharton was asked to be the Catholic Chaplain at the University of Kent. When he arrived, the number of students engaged was minimal. Mass attendance was around five people, at best.
The picture looked bleak and Fr Mark said “I had no idea what to do. I was praying about it quite intensely”. In the Chapel at the university, Fr Mark said he fell to his knees and said “Lord, Lord – what am I supposed to do. You have to show me what you want because I don’t know what to do”.
In was in prayer that Fr Mark received the idea to seek out an experienced priest for advice. “I said to an older priest, a wise priest, what am I supposed to do”, Fr Mark explains, “and he said, ‘you need to do what priests do. You need to celebrate Mass, hear confessions and have adoration”.
