Born in South London, Bishop Marcus Stock is a graduate of Oxford University having studied theology at Keble College. He then trained for the priesthood at the Venerable English College in Rome and was awarded a Licence in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. While in Rome he was ordained a Deacon by the late Cardinal Basil Hume O.S.B.

Ordained to the Priesthood in 1988, he served in parishes within the Archdiocese of Birmingham and was: Parish Priest of St Birinus (Dorchester-on-Thames) 1991-94; St Peter’s (Walsall) 1994-99; and Sacred Heart & St Theresa’s (Coleshill, Birmingham) 1999-2009.

In addition to his parish responsibilities, he was from 1988-94: Tutor in Theology for the Permanent Diaconate Formation Programme, part-time lecturer at Oscott Seminary, as well as a teacher of Religious Education at the European School, Oxfordshire, from 1991-94. From 1995-99, he was Assistant Director of Schools for the Archdiocese of Birmingham and Director of Schools from 1999-2009. During this time, he published “Christ at the Centre: Why the Church provides Catholic Schools” (First printed 2005, Revised 2012, CTS)

In 2009, he was appointed General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. From 2011-13, he was also Acting Director of the Catholic Education Service and appointed a Prelate of Honour by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. Following the appointment by Pope Francis, he was ordained and installed as the tenth Bishop of Leeds on Thursday, 13th November 2014.

Within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, he was Vice Chair of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission from 2015-21 and is currently the Chair of the Catholic Education Service and Chair of the Department for Education and Formation.