Fr Phil Sumner marks 50 years of priesthood and community service

Fr Sumner

Fr Phil Sumner will celebrate 50 years as a priest on 13 June 2026, marking five decades of ministry and community work across Manchester and Oldham. His anniversary will recognise not only his work within church communities, but also his long involvement in community cohesion and racial justice initiatives.

Fr Sumner has spent 25 years serving communities in Oldham and 25 years in Moss Side and Hulme in Manchester during a priesthood that has extended beyond parish life into wider social and community issues.

During the Moss Side disturbances in 1981, he spent time listening to residents and observing events as tensions unfolded. He later became involved in efforts alongside others to improve relations between police and African Caribbean communities in the area during a period of significant strain.

His work received international recognition in 2001 when Rotary International named him a Paul Harris Fellow, recognising what it described as significant assistance in promoting better understanding and friendship between communities.

Following disturbances in Oldham in May 2001, Fr Sumner moved to the town at the request of his bishop. The move drew national attention at the time and he later worked with others to establish the Oldham Interfaith Forum, which continues to play a role in encouraging dialogue and cohesion between communities across the borough.

Recognition for his work followed in later years. In 2006 he received both the individual and overall Diversity and Equality awards presented by the then Oldham Race Equality Partnership. The same year he was included in The Independent newspaper's Good List, recognising individuals described as campaigners, thinkers and givers making an impact across Britain.

His work also led to international speaking engagements. He delivered lectures for UNESCO in Barcelona on intercultural mediation and later in Brazil during the World Conference on the Development of Cities.

Fr Sumner has also appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Moral Maze discussing multiculturalism and the decolonisation of university curricula.

More recently, he received a Mayor's Appreciation Award in Oldham during 2025 for services to local people and communities. In the same year he was elected vice chair of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice.

Alongside this work, he has also served as chaplain to the Manchester Chinese Catholic Community for more than 25 years and continues to provide a Cantonese language service each month.

Celebrations will begin with a Mass at 2.30pm on 13 June followed by a reception at Oldham Athletic Football Club at 4pm.