The Diocese of Portsmouth asks us to pray for the repose of Canon Peter Wilkie who died on Easter Monday, 1st April, aged 94 – may he rest in peace. Living in retirement in Milford-on-Sea, Winchester and finally Fordingbridge, he was the longest living priest in the diocese, ordained in 1953.

Peter Wilkie was born on 24th February 1930 in Clapham, South London, and following formation at St Edmund’s Ware, he was ordained on 4th June 1953 for the Diocese of Portsmouth at St Agatha’s in Kingston-on-Thames by Archbishop John Henry King, who went over specially to his home parish to celebrate the ordination.

Many will remember him from his ministry at St Swithun’s, Southsea, the Cathedral, St Joseph’s, Bracknell, Sacred Heart, Bournemouth, St Bernard’s, Holbury, St James’, Reading, St Edward’s, Chandlers Ford, Our Lady of Sorrows and St Philip Benizi, Fordingbridge, and St Francis of Assisi, Milford-on-Sea.

In addition, he had a passion for prison ministry and was Chaplain to Winchester Prison for over 20 years where he received a long service award and the new Visitor Centre was named in his honour as “The Wilkie Centre”. He became a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter in 1989 and he was a member of the Old Brotherhood of the English Secular Clergy. When he was at Beaumont College, he played cricket against the Oratory at Lords. – the only Portsmouth priest to do so!

Let us thank God for Canon Peter’s loving service to the people whom he was called to serve. May the Lord grant him eternal rest.