St Joseph's Church, Gateshead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Joseph's Church |
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| St Joseph's Catholic Church | |
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| 54°57′51.5″N 1°36′14.4″W / 54.964306°N 1.604000°W | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | St Joseph's RC Church Gateshead |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Gateshead |
| Deanery | St Joseph and St Robert of Newminster |
| Diocese | Hexham and Newcastle |
St Joseph's Church is a Catholic church located in Gateshead, England. It has a rich history, serving the Catholic community in the area since it was built in 1859.
Contents
A Look Back: Gateshead's Catholic History
Before St. Joseph's Church was built in 1859, there was no Catholic church in Gateshead. The Catholic community here had to find other ways to practice their faith.
Early Christian Roots
Long ago, Gateshead was home to a famous monk named the Venerable Bede. He wrote about a powerful monastery in Gateshead led by an abbot named Utta. This monastery existed until the time when many monasteries were closed down.
Later, the land became owned by the Riddell family. They had a secret chapel on their estate where Catholic services were held. Sadly, in 1594, a priest named Rev. John Ingram was martyred near their home for performing his duties.
A Century Without a Church
The Riddell family's chapel was used by priests until it was destroyed by fire in 1746. After this, Gateshead was without a Catholic church or priest for about 100 years. This changed when St. Joseph's was finally built in 1859.
Building a New Parish
In 1850, Bishop Hogarth asked Father Betham to start a new Catholic parish in Gateshead. Father Betham wrote to the local Catholics, asking for help to raise money for a new church.
The First Steps
The parish officially began in 1851 when Father Betham moved to Gateshead. It was first called Our Lady and St. Wilfrid's. For a while, services were held in a temporary chapel located on the top floor of a warehouse.
Father Betham left in 1853. After a fire in 1854, services were held in the Assembly Rooms of the Queen's Head Hotel. When St. Joseph's Church finally opened, its first priest, Father Edward Consitt, decided to name the parish St. Joseph's.
Laying the Foundation
The foundation stone for St. Joseph's Church was laid on May 25, 1858, by Bishop Hogarth. Mr. Archibald Dunn was the architect who designed the church.
Just over a year later, on July 5, 1859, Bishop Hogarth returned to officially open and bless St. Joseph's. Many important people, including other bishops and community leaders, attended the special ceremony.
Growth and Community
Over the years, St. Joseph's Church became a central part of the Catholic community in Gateshead.
Expanding Services
In 1864, St. Joseph's School was opened. Later, Father Thomas Matthews, a parish priest, built the current presbytery (the priest's house). Other priests, like Father Green, were known for helping the poor. Father Newsham built another school, the Blessed Sacrament School.
Father Bull, another priest, built schools at All Saints'. Father Farrow helped deepen the faith of the people in St. Joseph's parish.
A Growing Community
When St. Joseph's was first established, there were only about 3,000 Catholics in Gateshead. By 1959, when the church celebrated its 100th anniversary, there were seven Catholic parishes in the town, with about seven times as many Catholics!
Today, the current Parish priest is Canon Michael Brown.
