Remembering Father Marco G. Lopes

The death of Father Marco G. Lopes, Vicar of St Martin’s Plaistow and leader of the Luso-Hispanic Mission in Newham earlier this year came as a shock to one of Newham’s leading community support groups, the Renewal Project in East Ham, where he served as a trustee.

In a tribute to Marco the Renewal Project said Marco “was a visionary, and his tireless efforts towards making Newham a welcoming and safe place for all will never be forgotten.”

Marco became Vicar of St Martin’s last year having previously served as Curate at Holy Trinity East Ham. He also led the Luso-Hispanic Mission serving Portuguese and Spanish Communities in Newham. Born in Portugal, in 1973, he moved to Britain in 2013 and becoming part of the church community at St Patrick’s, Barking before being ordained as a Priest in 2020.

In his condolences to Marco’s family Renewal Project Chief Executive Peter Laing said: I was shocked and saddened to hear about the sudden recent passing of Marco. Even in the relatively short time he had been a trustee his commitment to vulnerable and marginalised communities in Newham shone through. We are deeply saddened by his passing, are also so much the richer for having known him.”