A MAN with local connections is being ordained into the priesthood tomorrow (Saturday). Marcus Holden (pictured) was born in Chorley, Lancashire, on March 15, 1977.

In 1985, at the age of seven, Marcus moved with his family to Saundersfoot, and he became a member of the parish of Holyrood and St. Teilo, and a pupil of its local catholic primary school.

Subsequently, he went on to study at Greenhill School in Tenby. During this time, Marcus was a keen sportsman, playing football for the school, local clubs and representing Pembrokeshire county (Under 14s and Under 18s) and Dyfed schools (Under 15s).

The call of God, to become a priest, came to Marcus at the age of 15. From that time he sort out the way in which to follow the Lord, visiting and writing to various religious congregations and eventually spending some months of discernment in a religious house in Ireland.

At the age of 18, with a keen desire to spread the Gospel, he co-founded, with his brother Christian, St. Anthony Communications. This apostolate was to promote the Gospel message through literature and multimedia resources.

Since that time, St. Anthony's has become one of the largest mail order distributors of Catholic books, videos, CDs, DVDs and tapes in the UK. Tens of thousands of items have been sent out with the aim of promoting Christ's saving message to the world of today.

During this time, Marcus also completed his A- Levels in his spare time at home through a distance learning course.

In 1996, Marcus began to read theology at St. Benets Hall, Oxford University. During his time in Oxford, he became president of the Oxford University Newman Society and was involved in various works of evangelisation, including the promoting and proof-reading of a booklet introducing the Catholic faith. This booklet, called 'Christianity', was distributed to every student in the University, and subsequently became a best- seller worldwide, with editions in many languages. After attaining BA honours in theology, Marcus finally began his formal training for the priesthood as a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Southwark. He was sent to the Venerable English College, Rome, in 1999, where he began with a year of philosophical study at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He went on to complete the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB) in 2003.

He was editor of the English College's journal 'The Venerabile' between 2001-2003. He was ordained as a deacon at Palazzola on July 11, 2004, and two weeks later, in Oxford, he launched his first book Saints of the English Calendar.

In 2005, he attained the Summa Cum Laude in his theology licentiate (STL) specialising in patristics and the history of theology, with the dissertation: 'The Common Principles of Spiritual Exegesis in the Tradition'.

Marcus left the Venerable English College in July this year, and following his ordination to the Sacred Priesthood at New Malden, tomorrow (Saturday), he will begin his priestly ministry and mission at the church of the Holy Ghost, Balham in the Archdiocese of Southwark.

He is also working on a course for the Catholic education of adults and for those who ask to enter the church.