From Idea to Reality: Brighton Mission Hub

Some of the most significant projects in the Church begin with a simple conversation.

In December 2020 I received an email from Canon Kieron O’Brien, parish priest of East Brighton and Episcopal Vicar for Formation in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton. He had an idea he wanted to explore.

The Catholic university chaplaincy in Brighton had long been located near the university campus on the edge of the city. But Canon Kieron wondered whether the chaplaincy might be more effective if it were moved into the city itself — perhaps even sharing space with the parish of St Joseph’s in East Brighton.

The Bishop had expressed encouragement for the idea, but there were many unanswered questions. Would such a move actually strengthen the chaplaincy’s outreach to students? How would it affect the parish community? And practically speaking, how might such a move even happen?

Like many leaders in the Church, Canon Kieron was carrying both the opportunity and the uncertainty at the same time.

My first task was not to propose solutions but simply to create space to think.

Over the following months I facilitated conversations between the chaplaincy team and parish leaders. These sessions were deliberately exploratory. Rather than immediately discussing buildings or budgets, we began by asking more fundamental questions about mission in the city.

Brighton is a fascinating place for Catholic ministry. The parish already had a strong evangelistic culture, particularly through Alpha. At the same time, the community around the parish was changing. Increasing numbers of young families were moving into the area, while international Catholics — students, professionals and migrants — were quietly becoming part of the life of the parish.

As the conversations developed, something interesting happened. The original question about relocating the chaplaincy began to feel too small.

If the Church was going to invest energy and resources into a new project, perhaps it could serve a wider purpose.

Gradually a bigger idea emerged: rather than simply moving the chaplaincy into an existing building, what if the parish created something new? A place that could serve not only students but the wider mission of the Church in the city.

That idea eventually became what we now call the Brighton Mission Hub.

Not long after this vision began to take shape, the Bishop announced that Brighton and Hove would become a single moderated parish. Suddenly the project had an even wider horizon. What had started as a parish initiative now had the potential to serve the whole Catholic community of the city.

From that point forward, the work became more practical.

Together with the parish we developed an architectural brief for a new building designed to support a range of activities: evangelisation courses, leadership formation, chaplaincy work, and community hospitality. The design eventually took shape as a three-storey building capable of hosting multiple ministries simultaneously.

Projects like this always require a strong professional team. Architects, surveyors, consultants and advisers all played a part. One VAT specialist alone helped secure savings of more than £700,000 — a reminder that practical expertise is often just as important as vision.

Of course, there were challenges along the way. Grant applications are rarely straightforward, and several early bids were unsuccessful. But through perseverance, careful planning and strong collaboration with the Diocese, the necessary funding was eventually secured.

Today, construction is underway.

When I walk past the site now, I often think back to that first conversation in December 2020. At the time, it was simply an idea that needed space to breathe.

Now it is a building rising out of the ground.

The Brighton Mission Hub is scheduled to open in September 2026. When it does, it will be a place where students, families and parishioners can gather for prayer, formation and mission.

But perhaps more importantly, it will be a reminder of something simple.

Sometimes the most important thing a leader needs is not an answer.

Sometimes they simply need someone to help them think.