Parish Team
The Parish Team

Rev Fr Rajiv Michael
Parish Priest
Fr Rajiv was appointed as parish priest to St John’s and Blessed Sacrament in September 2023. Before discerning a call to the priesthood, he spent about a decade working first in India and then in the City of London. It was the love of Scripture and the Ministry of the Word which first drew him to the priesthood. When he’s not shuttling between the parishes or putting out fires, he’s usually breaking his head over a philosophy argument for his Masters. He remembers less stressful times when he had more time to visit art galleries, have dinner with friends, travel or simply sit down and enjoy some good single malt.

Rev Fr Dan Daley
Assistant Parish Priest
Fr Dan was ordained a priest in June 2022 by Cardinal Nichols in Westminster Cathedral. This was a joyful and blessed moment in his life and marked a significant shift from his previous career in retail banking. Fr Dan was posted as assistant priest in Chiswick. He spent three years there sharing in lives of the parishioners and learning the finer details of being a diocesan priest. The Cardinal moved Fr Dan in July 2025 to St John the Evangelist to expand his experience of diocesan life. Fr Dan welcomes this new opportunity to apply what he has learned so far and work with Fr Rajiv for the good of the parish. It helps that this appointment also brings him closer to his second great love, Arsenal football club!

Rev Fr John Hemer
Mill Hill Missionary Priest
Fr John Hemer, is a Mill Hill missionary priest. He hails from Liverpool and was ordained in 1983. He has served in Pakistan, Kenya, and Uganda and earned a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. For 28 years, he taught Scripture at seminaries in Uganda and England. Now in Islington parish, he continues part-time teaching at Allen Hall, gives public lectures, and leads retreats worldwide. He was the censor deputatus for the Revised New Jerusalem Bible. He says the best thing his superiors ever did for him was to send him to study Scripture. He’s very happy to be back in parish life.

Grace Wu
Parish Administrator
Grace, our Parish Administrator, spent much of her life sceptical of God, the church, and its followers. But, as He often does, God had other plans. Now, she’s a passionate advocate for everything she once dismissed. She loves working at St John’s and despite “administrator” being her title, paperwork is really the least interesting part of her job. What she truly cherishes is being part of and serving a faith community and appreciates there are few jobs where attending Mass during the day isn’t just accepted but encouraged. Beyond her devotion to God, Grace is a firm believer in the power of cake and chocolates to solve the world’s problems and thrives in navigating London’s bustling streets on her bike – sometimes with The Parish Dog along for the ride.

Tunky
Parish Dog
Tunky may be the smallest and youngest member of the Parish team but don’t underestimate his impact to the parish. His job is to be friendly and spread happiness to everyone he meets. In return, he gets big smiles and pats. He’s paid in doggie treats and sometimes gets an additional bonus in the form of a walk in Myddleton Square where he can terrorise the squirrels.
Parish Representatives
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Charmaine Daley
Parish Safeguarding Representative
The parish safeguarding representative is Charmaine Daley islington2@safeguardrcdow.org.uk
For more details about safeguarding, please click here.