Stephen
Motroni was born in Ayrshire in 1957. His parents were Luigi Motroni (1923-2005)
and his wife, Josephine Piacentini. The family lived in Glasgow Street, Ardrossan
above the Central Cafe which Luigi ran. In 1971, when Glasgow Street was targetted
for reconstruction, the family moved to Saltcoats but Luigi returned to work in
Ardrossan running the Cheery Cup.
Stephen was educated at Saint Peter's Primary School, Ardrossan, Saint Michael's Academy, Kilwinning, the Sacred Heart Fathers' Noviciate College, Gateshead, County Durham, England, Ushaw College, Durham and Durham University.
On 4 June 1983, Stephen was ordained a priest of the Congrégation du Sacré-Coeur (Congregation of the Sacred Heart) at the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Saltcoats by Bishop Maurice Taylor.
He served with the Sacred
Heart Fathers in Dublin, Ireland till 1985 then did retreat work in Cheshire
till 1989. He resumed his studies in Rome till 1991 after which he returned
to Gateshead for a year. Stephen moved to the Sacred Heart Fathers' home in
Smithstone House, Kilwinning in 1992 where he remained for three years. He did
youth retreat work in England till 1999 when he returned to Smithstone House.
He went back to Dublin in 2001. In 2003, Stephen returned to Kilwinning where
he combined his mission as a Sacred Heart Father with supporting the work of
the Diocese of Galloway.
The photograph
above was taken on 23 November 2008.