St Mary and St John Church, Wolverhampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary and St John Church |
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| Ss. Mary & John Parish Church | |
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| 52°34′54″N 2°07′31″W / 52.5816°N 2.1253°W | |
| OS grid reference | SO 91606 98206 |
| Location | Wolverhampton, West Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | SsMaryandJohn.co.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Our Lady and St John |
| Consecrated | 1905 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 16 July 1949 |
| Architect(s) | Charles Hansom |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1851 |
| Completed | 1880 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Wolverhampton |
| Archdiocese | Birmingham |
| Province | Birmingham |
St Mary and St John Church is a special Roman Catholic church located in Wolverhampton, England. It's a Parish church, which means it serves a local community. This beautiful church first opened its doors in 1855. It was designed by a famous architect named Charles Hansom. You can find it at the corner of Snow Hill and Ring Road St Georges. It's considered a very important building, listed as Grade II*. Since 2002, a group of priests called the Pauline Fathers have been taking care of the church.
Contents
History of the Church
Building the Church
The construction of St Mary and St John Church began in 1851. It was built in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like the grand churches from the Middle Ages. The church officially opened in 1855. The talented architect who designed it was Charles Hansom. He also designed other important churches. For example, he worked on St Osburg's Church, Coventry in 1845. He also designed Erdington Abbey in 1848. After St Mary and St John Church, he designed St Gregory's Church, Cheltenham in 1854. He also worked on Plymouth Cathedral in 1856. Another one of his designs was Our Lady of the Angels and St Peter in Chains Church, Stoke-on-Trent in 1857.
Church Changes Over Time
The church was made bigger between 1879 and 1880. Charles Hansom, the original architect, also planned this expansion. Twenty-five years later, in 1905, the church was officially consecrated. This means it was formally dedicated for religious use. The beautiful stained glass windows at the east end of the church were made by a company called Hardman & Co.. In 2002, the Pauline Fathers took over the running of the church. They have been serving the local parish ever since.
The Parish Community
The Pauline Fathers who serve St Mary and St John Church also help out at two other churches nearby. They look after St Teresa of the Infant Jesus Church in Wednesfield. They also serve St Patrick's Church in the east of Wolverhampton.
St Teresa's Church was first built in 1933. As more people joined the congregation, a new, bigger church was needed. The foundation stone for the new building was laid on March 26, 1967. The new church opened on December 7, 1969. It is located at the corner of Birmingham New Road and Dimmock Street. The old church building then became a church hall.
St Patrick's Parish started in 1865. The first church's foundation stone was laid in 1866. The architect for this church was E. W. Pugin. In the 1960s, the original church was taken down. This happened because a new ring road was being built. The local council provided a new spot for a church. This new site is on the corner of Wolverhampton Road and Coronation Road. It is right next to New Cross Hospital. The new St Patrick's Church opened in 1972.
St Mary and St John Church has three Sunday Masses. These are held at 5 pm on Saturday. On Sunday, Masses are at 10:00 am and 12 noon. St Teresa's Church is now closed. St Patrick's Church has two Sunday Masses. These are at 9:30 am and 6 pm.
Outside the Church
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East side of church
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Entrance
Church on TV
In 1984, BBC One broadcast its Midnight Mass from this church. This special service was shown on Monday, December 24. The priest at the time, The Rt Rev Joseph Cleary, led the Mass. He was joined by Fr Brian McGinley, who was a curate. The music for the Mass included popular Christmas carols. Some of these were "O little town of Bethlehem" and "Once in Royal David's city." Other carols included "In the bleak mid-winter" and "Hark! the herald-angels sing."
More to Explore
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham
