Priest emails parishioners John Lewis list for new home

A senior Roman Catholic priest has sent out a John Lewis wishlist to help him furnish his new presbytery.

Canon Stuart Wilson, of St Mary's in Cadogan Street, Chelsea, asked his parishioners to contribute towards items including a £35 lavatory brush, a £70 chef's knife and a £97 bamboo knife block in which to hold it.

He also wants sets of plates, dishes, saucepans and soap dishes, plus a deep oval roaster for £127 and eight duck down pillows at £14.50. The total cost is just over £2,150.

The list was emailed to dozens of people in Canon Wilson's address book including church workers, friends and Catholic organisations and publications.

One of the email's recipients — who asked not to be named — said: "Some of those on the list are fellow priests including one who lives in tiny accommodation and is sleeping on the floor so a family of asylum seekers can use his bedroom. How does he feel?"

Eddie Tulasiewich, spokesman for the Diocese of Westminster, said the list was fully approved as part of a popular restoration project in Chelsea which raised more than £300,000 to modernise the presbytery last year.

Asked about the cost of some of the items on the list, he said: "Sometimes cheap can be expensive in the long term. You only end up having to replace them more often."