Bury St Edmunds Nostalgia - Roman Catholic priest leaves the priesthood for love

In today's nostalgia we go back to 1972 when a Roman Catholic priest was to give up the priesthood for love.

Father Paul Casapieri a priest in Bury St Edmunds from 1963 to 1968 disappeared from his Oundle, Northants, parish, leaving his parishioners in confusion.

But from the privacy of a family hide-away home near Cambridge, came the shock announcement that he was to quit the ministry.

His reason was the true love he found sitting in his own congregation – 24-year-old Vicky Hearne, from the neighbouring village of Glapthorn.

The couple were awaiting the Pope’s permission to marry.

Father Ronald Bustin, priest-in-charge of St Edmunds Roman Catholic Church, Bury, where Father Casapieri was curate, said he had only spoken to him three times in his life.

"Father Casapieri left here before I came," he said.

On the question of priests getting married, Father Bustin said he had no comment to make.

Father Casapieri, who intended to remain in the church as a layman, had no idea what he would do when he left the priesthood.