St Anne's Church, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Anne's Church |
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Front Entrance
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| OS grid reference | SP 07965 86051 |
| Location | Digbeth, Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1849 |
| Founder(s) | John Henry Newman |
| Dedication | Saint Anne |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 22 March 2021 |
| Architect(s) |
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| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Birmingham (Cathedral) |
| Archdiocese | Birmingham |
St Anne's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Digbeth, a part of Birmingham city centre. It was started by Saint John Henry Newman in 1849. The church moved to a new building in 1884. This new building was designed by architects Albert Vicars and John O'Neill from London. They also designed St Hugh's Church in Lincoln and helped design St Peter's Cathedral in Belfast.
The church building is a Grade II listed building. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of St Anne's Church
How the Church Started
In 1847, John Henry Newman came back to Birmingham from Rome. He had permission from Pope Pius IX to create a special religious community called the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in England.
By 1849, Newman had a group of followers. They first started St Anne's Church in an old gin distillery in Deritend. This area had many small, crowded houses and factories. Many people living there were workers from Ireland.
In 1852, Newman and his community moved to Edgbaston in Birmingham. This was after the Birmingham Oratory building was finished. St Anne's Church continued to operate. It has been managed by the Archdiocese of Birmingham ever since.
Building the New Church
More and more Irish people moved to Birmingham. Because of this, more Catholic churches were built to serve the growing number of churchgoers. For example, St Catherine of Siena Church was built in 1874. St Francis of Assisi Church was built in Handsworth in 1894.
In 1859, Father John P. Dowling became the new priest at St Anne's. He provided the land where the church stands today. In 1884, the new St Anne's Church was built on Alcester Street. It was designed by the London architects Vicars and O'Neill. Cardinal Manning officially opened the new church. The old distillery building, where the church first started, became a school.
The famous writer J. R. R. Tolkien used to attend this church. He lived in Moseley and became a Catholic in 1900.
Who Manages the Church
In 1903, Canon Villiers took over from Father Dowling. After Canon Villiers passed away in 1938, a group called the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) started managing the church. They were interested in working in the area, and when the position became open, they took over.
In 2010, the Oblates handed the church back to the Archdiocese of Birmingham. The Archdiocese continues to manage the church and serve the local community today.
St Anne's Parish Community
St Patrick's Day Parade
In 1952, the first Birmingham St Patrick's Day Parade took place. This parade goes right through the area around St Anne's Church. It travels along Deritend High Street and up to Digbeth. The parade happens on the Sunday before March 17th. It is one of the biggest St Patrick's Day Parades in the world. Only New York City and Dublin have larger ones.
Huge crowds, sometimes as many as 80,000 people, come to watch. There are also up to 40 different floats, groups, and bands in the parade.
Church and School Connection
St Anne's Church works closely with the nearby St Anne's Primary School. The school's goal is to help students grow as friends and learn together. They aim to follow the teachings of Jesus and respect everyone as children of God.
Mass Times
The church holds three Sunday Masses each week. There is a special Mass called a Vigil Mass at 1:00 pm on Saturday. On Sunday, there are Masses at 11:00 am and 6:30 pm.
See also
- St Catherine of Siena Church, Birmingham
- St Francis of Assisi Church, Handsworth
- Birmingham Oratory
- John Henry Newman
- Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
