St Austin's Church, Wakefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Austin's Church, Wakefield |
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| 53°41′13″N 1°30′07″W / 53.687072°N 1.501813°W | |
| OS grid reference | SE 32984 21281 |
| Location | Wakefield |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | StMartinsWakefield.org |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1827 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Church building |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 6 November 1969 |
| Completed | 1828 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Austin's and English Martyrs |
| Deanery | Wakefield & Pontefract |
| Diocese | Leeds |
| Province | Liverpool |
St Austin's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Wakefield, England. You can find it near the city centre, where Northgate and Marsh Way meet. This church was started in 1827 by a group called the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. It's also a special building, listed as Grade II, which means it's historically important.
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Building St Austin's Church
In 1824, an architect named Joseph Ireland started drawing plans for the church. He had designed other chapels before. Two years later, a Jesuit priest, Father John George Morris, arrived to begin a new church community. Construction of St Austin's Church began in 1827. The church was officially opened on March 4, 1828, by Thomas Smith, who was a leader in the church at that time.
Growing the Church Community
Church Extensions and New School
By 1852, more and more Catholic people were living in the area. This meant the church needed to be made bigger. A school was also needed to teach the growing number of children. The church was made longer, and a balcony was added inside. In 1859, work began on building the new school.
Through the 1860s and 1870s, the local Catholic population kept growing. So, the church was extended again. The priest's house, called the presbytery, was moved to a different building. This allowed the church to expand into the space where the presbytery used to be. In 1878, a special chapel for the Virgin Mary, called a lady chapel, was added to St Austin's. It was designed by an architect named Joseph Hansom.
Starting a New Church in South Ossett
In December 1877, the church community had grown so much that it was spread out over a large area. Many people had to travel far to attend Mass every Sunday. The Jesuits decided to build a new chapel in South Ossett. This new chapel meant that Catholics living there wouldn't have to travel all the way to Wakefield.
The new church was named St Ignatius, after Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuits. In 1910, St Ignatius became its own church and parish. It was then looked after by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds. The church building that replaced the original chapel was built in 1933, and it is still an active church today.
In 1931, the Jesuits handed over the care of St Austin's parish to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds. The Diocese of Leeds continues to look after the church and its community.
St Austin's Parish Today
In 2008, the parish of English Martyrs joined with St Austin's. Together, they formed a new parish called St Martin de Porres. Later, this parish was renamed St Austin's and English Martyrs Parish.
St Austin's Church holds four Sunday Masses each week. There is one on Saturday evening at 6:15 PM. On Sunday morning, there are Masses at 8:15 AM and 11:00 AM. There is also a Mass on Sunday evening at 6:00 PM. English Martyrs Church has one Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM.
Two nearby schools, St Austin's Catholic Primary School and English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, are connected to the parish. Both schools aim to provide a "Catholic education within a Christian community."
More to Explore
- Society of Jesus
- John Wilson (bishop)
