Good Shepherd Cathedral, Ayr facts for kids

Former Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Ayr.

The Good Shepherd Cathedral was once an important Roman Catholic church in Ayr, Scotland. It was the main church, or "cathedral," for the Diocese of Galloway, which is a special area looked after by a bishop.

The Good Shepherd Cathedral

Building Its History

The Church of the Good Shepherd first opened its doors in 1957. It was built to serve the people living in areas of Ayr like Whitletts and Lochside. Before this church was built, people in these communities went to St. Margaret's Church in Ayr.

For four years, it was a regular parish church. Then, in 1961, something important happened. Another cathedral, St. Andrew's in Dumfries, was destroyed by fire. Because of this, the Church of the Good Shepherd became the new cathedral for the Galloway Diocese. This meant it became the main church for the bishop.

Bishops Who Served Here

Only three bishops had the Good Shepherd Cathedral as their main church. A bishop is a leader in the Catholic Church.

• Bishop Joseph McGee served from 1961 until 1981.
• Bishop Maurice Taylor was bishop from 1981 to 2004.
• Bishop John Cunningham served from 2004 to 2014. He was the first bishop to have his special ordination ceremony held in this cathedral, on May 28, 2004.

A New Purpose for the Building

The last church service, called Mass, was held at the Good Shepherd Cathedral on May 20, 2007. This happened because fewer people were attending services there. The main church for the Galloway Diocese is now St Margaret's Cathedral in Ayr.

In 2010, work began to give the old cathedral building a new life. It was changed into 25 affordable homes by a group called Ayrshire Housing Association. The building is considered a Category C listed building. This means it's an important old building that needs to be protected. Because of this, parts like the tower and the front wall were kept as they were. The building work finished in 2012, and people moved into the new homes in April of that year.

See also

In Spanish: Excatedral del Buen Pastor (Ayr) para niños