[citation needed] In his twentieth year he decided to enter a religious life as a lay brother, but was advised to study for the priesthood.
When he arrived there was a small chapel that would hold 150 people with difficulty, and as the congregation was increasing, Willson found a good site and built St John the Evangelist's Catholic Church, Nottingham, which was completed in 1828.
Stone's A Complete Refutation of Maria Monk's Atrocious Plot, concerning the Hotel Dieu Convent in Montreal.
Efforts were made to have his services retained in England, but in January 1844 he sailed for Australia and he arrived at Hobart on 11 May 1844.
In August he went to Sydney to confer with Archbishop Polding on these matters, but 14 years were to elapse before a satisfactory arrangement was agreed to.
At the end of 1846 he sailed for England and his evidence before the committee then sitting on the convict system made a deep impression.
[2] In 1853, when an ailing Willson was advised to take a voyage to Europe, among the many addresses presented to him none touched him more than one signed by a large number of well-known residents who did not belong to his church.