St Michael and St John Church, Clitheroe Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Michael and St John Church
St Michael and St John the Evangelist Church, Clitheroe
The front entrance to the church.
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OS grid reference	SD7441341746
Location	Clitheroe
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	OLOTV.org.uk
History
Status	Active
Founded	1799; 226 years ago (1799)
Founder(s)	Fr John Laurenson SJ
Dedication	St Michael, John the Evangelist
Events	Church rebuilt 1850
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Grade II
Administration
Parish	Our Lady of the Valley
Deanery	St John Southworth
Diocese	Salford
Province	Liverpool

St Michael and St John the Evangelist Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in the town of Clitheroe, Lancashire, in England. You can find it on Lowergate road, near the town centre.

The church was first started in 1799 with help from a generous man named Thomas Weld (of Lulworth). It was run by priests from the Society of Jesus, also known as Jesuits.

In 1850, the original church building became a school, called St Michael and St John's Catholic Primary School. A new, larger church was built right next door. Because of its historical importance, the church is a Grade II listed building, which means it is officially protected.

The Story of the Church
- How it Began
- Growing and Changing
The Parish Today
- Church Services
A Look Inside
See also

The Story of the Church

How it Began

A priest named Father John Laurenson came to Clitheroe in 1794. His job was to serve the Catholic families in the area. He was based at the nearby Stonyhurst College.

In 1798, a wealthy man named Thomas Weld gave the church land on Lowergate to build a church and a school. A year later, in 1799, a small chapel was built. A letter was later found where Thomas Weld asked the priest to pray for him and his wife, Mary, each year after they had passed away.

Growing and Changing

As more Catholic families moved to the area in the 1800s, the small chapel became too crowded. It was made bigger, and a school was added.

By 1850, the congregation had grown so much that a larger church was needed. The new church was built next to the original one. The old chapel was then used only as a school. Twenty years later, both the new church and the school had to be expanded again.

In 1897, a brand-new school building was constructed. The original 1799 chapel and school building was then turned into a social centre for the parish community to use.

The Parish Today

St Mary's Church in Sabden is part of the same parish.

For many years, Jesuit priests ran the church. In 2008, they handed it over to the Diocese of Salford, which now manages the parish.

In 2010, the parish joined with St Mary Queen of Peace Church in the nearby village of Sabden. Together, they formed a new, larger parish called Our Lady of the Valley. St Mary's Church was built in 1877. Before it became its own parish in 1909, people from Sabden had to travel all the way to Clitheroe for church services.

The parish works closely with two local schools: St. Michael and St. John's R.C. Primary School in Clitheroe and St. Mary's R.C. Primary School in Sabden.

Church Services

There are two Sunday Masses at St Michael and St John Church: one on Saturday evening at 6:00 pm and another on Sunday morning at 9:30 am. St Mary's Church in Sabden has one Sunday Mass at 11:00 am.