David Cahill in front of the new Oasis of Peace centre at Coin Varin

THE former head teacher of Grainville School is opening a retreat in the Island.

The new Oasis of Peace centre, being officially opened next Saturday, is at the Presbytery, next to St Matthew’s Church at Coin Varin in St Peter.

The opening will be marked by the celebration of Mass at 1.30 pm, led by the Vicar General of the Portsmouth diocese, Monsignor John Nelson.

Mr Cahill, who will be the director of the new centre, said that the Catholic Church in Jersey had been looking to set up the Oasis for a number of years.

‘We had not been able to get the project off the ground, but it has now,’ he said. ‘The initial idea was that it would be a quiet place to pray. It is in the middle of the Island in a rural location.

‘The centre will not only be open to the Catholic community, but will be a place of reflection for everyone.’

Mr Cahill spent 18 months as acting head at Grainville School, before formally taking the reins last September. He left that post to become a pastoral assistant of the Catholic Church and is also undertaking chaplaincy work for De La Salle College and La Moye Prison.