Oxford University Priest Removed After Safeguarding Complaint Investigated and Substantiated

Senior Oxford University Priest Removed After Safeguarding Complaint Investigated and Substantiated
Oxford, United Kingdom — January 25, 2026

A senior Catholic chaplain at the University of Oxford has been removed from his role following a safeguarding complaint made by a postgraduate student that was investigated and subsequently substantiated by the Jesuits in Britain, the order responsible for his appointment.

Father Damian Howard SJ, who served as the Senior Chaplain at the Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy, was asked to step down from his position in August 2025 after an internal safeguarding investigation found that his conduct with a postgraduate student constituted professional misconduct. The nature of the complaint involved allegations of repeated unwanted intimate contact between Howard and the student during pastoral support interactions, making the complainant feel uncomfortable and “trapped” in the relationship dynamic.