The Right Revd Hugh Allan, O.Praem. was born in Hertfordshire, England, to a Scottish family from the town of Auchtermuchty, located close to the village of Falkland. Raised as a Free Presbyterian, Allan converted to Catholicism at the age of 16. He trained to be a teacher at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. On leaving university, he joined the Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines or ‘White Canons’. Following his noviciate, he was sent to complete further studies at St Benet’s Hall, Oxford. He made his solemn profession on 27 October 2001 and was ordained a priest on 22 November 2002 by Bishop Terence Brain.
Following ordination, he worked as a full-time school chaplain in North Manchester. In 2004, he was appointed parish priest of Gorton, Manchester. In 2006, he was appointed superior of the Norbertine community in Manchester, aged only 29. At the time, he was the youngest Catholic religious superior in the world.
In 2008, the Norbertines opened a new Priory in Chelmsford and he was appointed superior to this new canonry. At the same time, he was appointed parish priest of Chelmsford and has also recently served as the Area Dean for Mid-Essex. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Falkland Islands and Ecclesiastic Superior of St. Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha by Fernando Cardinal Filoni on 26 October 2016 for a period of five years.
On 26 October 2016, Abbot Hugh Allan, O.Praem. was appointed Apostolic Administrator for the Prefecture a by Fernando Cardinal Filoni for a period of five years. In recognition of this ecclesiastical appointment, he was also elevated to the title of ‘Titular Abbot of Beeleigh’ by the Abbot General of the Norbertine Order, the Most Revd. Thomas Handgrätinger, O.Praem. On 18 July 2024, three years after his mandate was due to end, Abbot Hugh handed care of the Prefecture to Fr Tom Thomas, IC, a Rosminian priest, based at the church of St Etheldreda, Ely Place in London.
Coat of Arms
Abbot Hugh Allan’s Coat of Arms were gifted to him by the Falkland Islanders and granted by the College of Arms in July 2019.
The gold fleur-de-lis on a blue shield are derived from the Premonstratensian coat of arms, the order to which Abbot Hugh belongs.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary unites all the islands in the South Atlantic, which are all under her loving protection as Our Lady, Star of the Sea. Abbot Hugh’s Priory is also dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows.
Abbot Hugh’s motto finis fidei salus animarum translates as The End of Faith is the Salvation of Souls and comes from 1 Peter 1.9.
Roman Catholic Prefecture-Mission 