Martin Pendergast

Martin Pendergast was a member of the Carmelite Religious Order for 10 years, ordained in 1970.

He has an Licence in Sacred Theology (STL) from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and a Master’s Degree in Theology from the University of Bristol.

He is also a qualified social worker having specialised in child protection including diagnosis and treatment of sexual abuse.

He was responsible for commissioning NHS HIV & Sexual Health services in North East London from 1987-1997.

He has been civilly-partnered since June 2006.

He was a member of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales Social Welfare Committee until its restructuring in 2008.

He helped found a Catholic LGBT Mass community in London in 1999 and assisted in setting up the Soho Masses Pastoral Council in 2005.

He was involved in formal consultations in 2006, leading to its recognition as a formal pastoral provision of the Catholic Diocese of Westminster, including the involvement of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the implementation of this pastoral ministry.

He writes for a number of publications on faith, sexuality, and human rights concerns, including Catholics4Choice Conscience magazine, The Guardian newspaper, and the Roman Catholic weekly review, The Tablet.

He has been a member of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement since its founding in 1976, and a Trustee of the Cutting Edge Consortium since 2010. He is also a Trustee of the UK AIDS charity, NAM/AIDSMAP.