Former teacher welcomed as new vicar

A former teacher, who was recently licensed to act as the Associate Minister in the Clitheroe, Chatburn and Downham benefice, may be a familiar face to some.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Sep 2018, 14:50 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2018, 14:57 BST
From left to right, the Rev. Andy Froud, the Rev. Catherine Hale-Heighway and The Right Reverend Julian Henderson, Bishop of Blackburn.From left to right, the Rev. Andy Froud, the Rev. Catherine Hale-Heighway and The Right Reverend Julian Henderson, Bishop of Blackburn.
From left to right, the Rev. Andy Froud, the Rev. Catherine Hale-Heighway and The Right Reverend Julian Henderson, Bishop of Blackburn.

For the Rev. Catherine Hale-Heighway, was deputy head at St James’s CE Primary School in Clitheroe during one stage of her career.

Licensed by the Rt Rev. Julian Henderson, Bishop of Blackburn, the Rev. Hale-Heighway will have particular responsibility for St Paul’s Church, Low Moor, and Christ Church, Chatburn.

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Speaking of her new post, the Rev. Hale-Heighway said: “I’m delighted to be here in Clitheroe, to serve in the benefice and looking forward in particular to helping the parishes of St Paul’s, Low Moor, and Christ Church, Chatburn, grow in faith.”

Rev. Hale-Heighway (60) was born in Lytham and is an only child. She attended Elmslie School in Blackpool and trained as a teacher in Liverpool later beginning her teaching career in Pendle. She spent the last 18 years of her teaching career as headteacher at Holy Trinity in Burnley.

“My call to the ministry followed a simple conversion, or so I thought, with my vicar one Sunday and life was never the same again!” Rev. Hale-Heighway said.

Taking early retirement from headship more than three and a half years ago to spend more time on ministry and have a life after teaching for 36 years, the Rev. Hale-Heighway has been a self supporting minister in Colne for the past six years. At first she was part of a team and for the past two years with St Bartholomew’s and Holy Trinity, Colne.

A mother-of-one to her son Adam (30), Rev. Hale-Heighway tied the knot with her husband John in April 2017.

Related topics:ClitheroeChatburn