Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph Church, Prescot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph |
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Front Entrance
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 Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph
Location in Greater Liverpool
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| 53°25′43″N 2°48′28″W / 53.4285°N 2.8079°W | |
| OS grid reference | SJ4641392711 |
| Location | Prescot, Merseyside |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | https://www.ourladystjoseph-prescot.co.uk/ |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founder(s) | Society of Jesus |
| Dedication | St Mary and St Joseph |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 19 March 1987 |
| Architect(s) | Joseph Aloysius Hansom |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1856 |
| Completed | 1857 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Liverpool |
| Province | Liverpool |
Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph Church is a Catholic parish church in Prescot, Merseyside. It was built by the Jesuits (a group of Catholic priests) between 1856 and 1857. Today, it is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
This church is a special 'Grade II listed building,' which means it is an important historical site. It was designed by a famous architect named Joseph Aloysius Hansom. The church stands next to the Church of St Mary in the middle of Prescot.
Contents
Church History
Early Catholic Life in Prescot
For a long time, before this church was built, Catholics in Prescot had to travel about two miles to a place called Portico. There, they could attend Our Lady Help of Christians Church, which opened in 1790.
In the past, being Catholic in England was sometimes difficult. In 1583, a bishop named William Chaderton even wrote a letter about the many Catholics in Prescot. He felt they needed to be dealt with seriously.
Building the Church
In 1856, an important change happened for Catholics in England. The Catholic Church was reorganized, and the Archdiocese of Liverpool was created. This made it easier to build new churches.
The Jesuits decided to build a church right in the centre of Prescot. They asked Joseph Aloysius Hansom to design it. Hansom was a well-known architect who designed many other churches for the Jesuits, including:
- St. Walburge's Church in Preston
- St Joseph's Church in Leigh
- St Beuno's Ignatian Spirituality Centre in Tremeirchion
- Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Manchester
The new church in Prescot was finished and opened for worship just one year later, in 1857.
Changing Hands
For many years, the Jesuits looked after the church. But on September 28, 1932, the church was officially given to the Archdiocese of Liverpool. This was a common change at the time, as many churches run by the Jesuits were being transferred to their local dioceses. In the same year, two other churches, Holy Cross Church in St Helens, Merseyside and St John's Church in Wigan, also moved to the care of the archdiocese.
Church Services
The church holds a Mass on Saturday evening at 6:00pm, which counts for Sunday. There is another Mass on Sunday morning at 11:00am. Weekday Masses are held at 12:00pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Community Connections
Both Our Lady Help of Christians Church and Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph Church work closely with Our Lady's Primary School in Prescot. The school's goal is to be a living community that reflects God's presence in everything they do.
Gallery
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Doorway
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Statue above doorway
See also
- Listed buildings in Prescot
- Society of Jesus
- Our Lady Help of Christians Church, Portico
