Father Victor Darlington is the Episcopal Vicar for the South-East Area of the Archdiocese of Southwark
Following the retirement of Bishop Patrick Lynch in December 2020, Archbishop John Wilson announced the appointment of Fr Victor Darlington as Episcopal Vicar for the South-East Pastoral on 8th April 2022.
Father Victor Darlington
Fr Victor Darlington joined the Archdiocese of Southwark in 2006 and was Assistant Priest for the parish of English Martyrs Church in Strood until 2011, when he was appointed as Parish Priest to Sacred Heart Church in Camberwell. For over a decade, Fr Victor has served the Camberwell and its local community. In 2019 he was delighted to be appointed as Dean of Camberwell: a responsibility that will now conclude in June 2022.
In 2021, Fr Victor was appointed Episcopal Vicar of the Commission for Promoting Racial Justice and Cultural Inclusion in the Archdiocese, and as one of the presiding Deans of the South East area.
Born in Ibadan, Western Nigeria on 1st April, Victor is the third of six children of a Catholic family from Ubiaja, Edo State, Southern Nigeria. His parents nurtured him in the Faith and he felt called to the Priesthood when he was still a young boy attending the Mission primary school of Saint Benedict's, Ubiaja.
Fr Victor went on to Saint John Bosco's College and upon his graduation began his seminary formation for the priesthood at Saints Peter and Paul Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, and was ordained a Priest on 8th September 1990. While working in Edo state, he held a number of appointments ranging from being the Archbishop's Private Secretary to serving as parish priest in a number of urban and city parishes. He was also a formator at a major seminary.
Fr Victor holds a bachelor’s degree in Religions Studies from the University of Ibadan, and a bachelor’s degree in Sacred Theology from the Urban University, Rome. He further obtained a licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Biblicum in Rome, and a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Angelicum in Rome. He is fluent in English, Italian, Esan, Bini and Yoruba languages.
From 2008 to 2021 he was a part-time lecturer at St John's Seminary in Wonersh, Guildford, and he currently lectures at the Diaconate Formation Programme for England and Wales. As a Biblical Scholar, he gives talks around the country and internationally on the Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles.
For many years now, Fr Victor has worked to tackle the scourge of knife crime on the streets of London. He has championed a range of community initiatives to support victims and to prevent young people, especially those from deprived backgrounds from being involved in gangs and violence. He has also worked on different parish-based and community projects aimed at de-escalating racism tensions and supporting diversity and equality through the lens of the gospel.
Fr Victor loves to take long walks and spend time with friends. He also loves to listen to different genres of music, especially afrobeat and classical music.
The Rev. Victor Darlington Episcopal Vicar for the South-East
Park House
6a Cresswell Park
Blackheath
London SE3 9RD
Tel: 0333 188 1385
Email: evse@rcaos.org.uk
The South East Area of Southwark comprises the deaneries of
- Bexley
- Bromley,
- Camberwell,
- Greenwich
- Lambeth
- Lewisham
