St Bernardine's Catholic Church, Buckingham facts for kids
St Bernardine's is a Roman Catholic Church located in Buckingham, England. It is part of a larger area called a Parish, which includes both Buckingham and Brackley. This means it works closely with St Martin's Catholic Church, Brackley.
The Story of St. Bernardine's
How It Started
The story of St. Bernardine's began in 1892. A special priest from Belgium, named Father Thaddeus Hermans, came to Buckingham. He was a Franciscan priest, which means he belonged to a religious group called the Franciscans. Father Thaddeus wanted to open a college for young men who wished to become Franciscans themselves.
He arrived in Buckingham on a special day for Christians, the Feast of the Ascension. First, he rented a small house on Elm Street. This is where he held the very first Mass, which is a Catholic church service. Later, he found a better spot at 9 Chandos Road and set up his first chapel there.
Father Thaddeus then managed to get a piece of land on London Road. By the end of 1895, he had successfully built his college. At that time, not many Catholic people lived near Buckingham. However, by 1900, church records show that twelve baptisms had taken place. The college was named after St Bernardine, a very respected Franciscan saint. Because of this, the local Catholic community became known as the parish of St. Bernardine. The college's chapel was officially opened for public worship in 1912.
Growing Over Time
After World War II, the number of people in the parish grew quickly. The Franciscan priests were asked to start holding Mass in many towns and villages nearby. This included the town of Brackley.
Things changed over time, and the college eventually closed in 1968. The buildings were sold to Buckinghamshire County Council, which is the local government. However, the priests were allowed to keep using the chapel. They could do so until the parish could build its own new church.
Eventually, it was decided to build the new church next to the new Friary on Chandos Road. This was the same road where the priests had set up their very first chapel! The new church was officially blessed on October 26, 1974, by Bishop Charles Grant. It was then fully dedicated in 1982. In 1989, the parish became part of the care of the Diocese of Northampton, which is a larger church area.
