St Benedict's Church, Warrington facts for kids

St Benedict's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Orford area of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It is an active church, meaning it still holds services and events today. The church was first started by Benedictine monks from Ampleforth Abbey. Now, priests from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool lead the church.

The Church's Story

Early Beginnings (1881-1904)

The story of St. Benedict's Church began on January 10, 1881. At that time, a school was built, and church services, called Mass, were held inside the school building. This was the start of the Catholic community in this part of Warrington.

In 1902, St. Benedict's officially became its own separate parish. A parish is like a local church community with its own priest. Before this, it was part of St Mary's Church, Warrington. St. Benedict's was the third Benedictine parish in Warrington. The other two were St Alban's Church, Warrington, founded in 1755, and St. Mary's Church, founded in 1877.

After becoming a separate parish, a small, temporary church was built. It was made of tin and placed in the school playground. This "tin mission church" opened on June 19, 1904.

Building the New Church (1907-1915)

In 1907, Father Oswald Swarbreck OSB became the new leader, or Rector, of the parish. He oversaw important building projects. First, a new house for the priests, called a priory or presbytery, was built on Rhodes Street. It was finished on January 11, 1912.

After the presbytery, work began on a brand new church building. This larger, more permanent church was officially opened on July 11, 1915. A very important church leader, Cardinal Bourne, who was the Archbishop of Westminster, came to open it.

Growth and Consecration (1927-1965)

The main altar of the church, called the High Altar, was specially blessed on February 27, 1927. It was built by skilled workers from Italy.

In 1931, a new building for community events was constructed next to the school. It was named the Bell Hall, in honor of Blessed James Bell. He was a local person from Warrington who was honored for his faith.

A very special event happened in 1943: the church was consecrated. This means it was formally dedicated to God. This could happen because the parish had successfully paid off all its building debts. Later, in 1965, a social club was built next to the church, providing another space for the community.

Changes and New Beginnings (1986-Present)

For many years, Benedictine monks from Ampleforth Abbey led St. Benedict's Church. However, in 1986, the Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey handed over the parish to the Archbishop of Liverpool. This meant that priests from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool would now lead the church. Father Augustine Measures O.S.B was the last Benedictine Parish Priest.

In 1991, a new school building was constructed for the children of the parish. The old school building and the Bell Hall were taken down by 1993.

More recently, on May 1, 2018, St. Benedict's Church became part of a new, larger parish. This new parish is called Blessed James Bell. It also includes the former parishes of St Mary's and St Oswald's in Warrington. This change helps the churches work together more closely.