St Benet's Church, Sunderland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Benet's Church |
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| 54°54′53″N 1°22′44″W / 54.91479°N 1.37884°W | |
| Location | Monkwearmouth, Sunderland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Website | WearCatholic.org |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Dedication | Benedict Biscop |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Dunn, Hansom & Dunn |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 28 July 1888 |
| Completed | 14 July 1889 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Monkwearmouth |
| Diocese | Hexham and Newcastle |
St Benet's Church is a Catholic church building in Monkwearmouth, a part of Sunderland. It was built in 1889. The church was designed by famous architects Archibald Matthias Dunn and Edward Joseph Hansom.
You can find St Benet's Church on the corner of Thomas Street North and George Street North. It is about half a kilometre east of the Stadium of Light. From 1900 to 2011, a group of priests called the Redemptorists looked after the church. Now, priests from the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle serve the church. When it was built, it was the first Catholic church in Sunderland north of the River Wear in the 1800s.
Contents
History of St Benet's Church
How the Church Started
In 1861, a priest named Father George Dunn bought some land. This land was behind Roker Avenue. He wanted to build a Catholic school and a small chapel there. This chapel became the main place for local Catholics north of the River Wear to worship.
Later, in 1873, Father Jules de Floer arrived. He began the important work to build the larger church we see today. The architects chosen for this big project were Dunn, Hansom & Dunn. This team included Archibald Matthias Dunn, his son Archibald Manuel Dunn, and Edward Joseph Hansom.
Building the Church Structure
The first stone of the church was laid on July 28, 1888. Bishop Thomas Wilkinson blessed this special stone. The builders for the church were from T. Lumsden of Jarrow. The beautiful stone carvings inside were made by Richard Lockwood Boulton.
Less than a year later, on July 14, 1889, the church officially opened. Bishop Wilkinson also opened the church. In 1900, Bishop Wilkinson asked the Redemptorists to take care of the church and its community. The house for the priests was taken down. A new monastery was built for the Redemptorist priests. It was finished in 1902.
In 1909, new parts were added to the church. These included a new sanctuary and side chapels. The main altar was moved to the new sanctuary. A new sacristy was also built. This room connected the church to the monastery.
Church Changes Over Time
In 1916, during World War One, the church was hit by bombs from Zeppelin airships. All of its windows were broken. In 1925, a hall for the church community was added. On March 24, 1983, a new altar was blessed by Bishop Owen Swindlehurst.
A smaller new parish hall was built in 1993. In 2003, the inside of the church was redecorated. In 2011, the Redemptorists left the church. Since then, priests from the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle have been serving the church community.
St Hilda's Church History
In 1902, while they were at St Benet's Church, the Redemptorists also built a school and a chapel. This was in a nearby area called Southwick, Sunderland. In 1908, the school was given to the diocese. Building work for St Hilda's Church began that same year.
On June 8, 1908, the first stone of St Hilda's Church was laid. Bishop Richard Collins blessed it. A priest named Father Smith placed a small piece of a wall from Whitby Abbey on the foundation stone. The church opened in 1909. In 1912, the house for the priests was built.
On May 9, 1985, the Father Smith Parish Room was opened by Bishop Swindlehurst. On June 15, 2001, Bishop Ambrose Griffiths officially consecrated the church.
The Church Community
After the Redemptorists left St Benet's Church, one priest now serves three churches in Monkwearmouth. These churches are St Benet's Church, Sacred Heart and St John Bosco Church, and St Hilda's Church. Because of this, the Sunday Mass times are different for each church.
- St Benet's Church has Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM.
- St Hilda's Church has Mass at 6:00 PM on Saturday.
- Sacred Heart and St John Bosco Church has Masses at 4:30 PM on Saturday and 9:30 AM on Sunday.
See also
