St Patrick's Catholic Church, Leicester facts for kids

St Patrick's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Beaumont Leys area of Leicester, England. It's a special place of worship for many people. The church building you see today was built in 1959. It was needed because more and more Catholic families were moving to Leicester. Even though the current building is from 1959, the church community, called a parish, started much earlier in 1854.

The church building is designed in the Romanesque style. This means it has a strong, classic look, often with rounded arches. Inside, it has three unique domes in the main part of the church, called the nave. At the back, there's a beautiful stained glass window. It shows Saint Patrick, who is the special saint the church is named after.

The current priest at St Patrick's is Father Raphael Imoni. He became the parish priest in September 2018. The church also supports two local schools: St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy and English Martyrs Catholic School.

History

How St Patrick's Church Began

The story of St Patrick's Church started a long time ago, in 1854. It began as a small chapel inside a school on Royal East Street in Leicester. This chapel was dedicated to Saint Patrick. A priest named Fr Nickolds from Holy Cross Priory, Leicester helped set it up.

In 1894, the responsibility for the chapel was given to the Diocese of Nottingham. Fr. Hawkins became the very first parish priest. Sadly, the original chapel closed in 1940. This happened because fewer Catholic people were living in that part of Leicester at the time.

A New Beginning

After World War II, the Catholic community in Leicester began to grow again. In 1949, a new priest, Fr. Hill, was appointed. He helped set up a temporary place for Mass (church service) at the grandstand of the Leicester Stadium. At the same time, land was bought on Beaumont Leys Lane. This land was for a new church, a house for the priest (called a presbytery), and a hall for the community.

The new St Patrick's Church building was officially opened on Saint Patrick's Day in 1959. Bishop Edward Ellis blessed the church during this special event.

Growing the Church Community

In October 1961, Fr. Sullivan became the parish priest. He worked hard to finish the inside of the church. He added the wooden Stations of the Cross, which are pictures or carvings showing Jesus's journey to the cross. He also brought in statues of the Sacred Heart and Saint Joseph the Worker. A large cross showing Christ Triumphant and two stained glass windows in the sanctuary (the area around the altar) were also added. All these beautiful features are still there today.

After Fr Sullivan, other priests served the church. Fr Neary and then Fr Tutto continued to make improvements. In 1982 and 1983, thanks to generous donations, the St. Patrick's Chapel was completed. A carved wooden statue of Saint Patrick and a parish banner were added.

Recent Years and Celebrations

Fr Stephen Lennon became priest in 1986, followed by Fr Michael Lynch in 1996. Under Fr Lynch, a new parish hall was built. This hall is still used today for many church and community events.

Father Jimmy Browne served as parish priest from 2000 to 2009. During his time, the church was redecorated, and the sanctuary was updated. In 2009, the church celebrated its 50th anniversary. Bishop Malcolm McMahon, who was then the Bishop of Nottingham, celebrated a special Mass for this occasion.

To mark the 50th anniversary, a new stained glass window was created for the Baptistry. This window shows a journey of faith, like a river flowing from nature to a picture of the Eucharist (Holy Communion). Father Martin Hardy arrived in April 2009. He was well-liked by church members and the wider Leicester community. He often hosted local leaders, like MP Liz Kendall, at the annual St Patrick's celebrations. Father Raphael Imoni became the parish priest in September 2018. The church has a good number of people attending Mass, with over 500 people coming each week.

Notable Features

St Patrick's Church has several interesting and important features:

• Carved Stations of the Cross: These are a series of carvings that show the story of Jesus's last day.
• Wooden carving depicting Saint Patrick: A special wooden statue of the church's patron saint.
• Wooden carving depicting Saint Joseph: A wooden statue of Saint Joseph, an important figure in Christianity.
• Prayer Room dedicated to Saint Brigid: A quiet space for prayer, named after another Irish saint.
• Chapel dedicated to Saint Patrick: A smaller chapel within the church, also named after Saint Patrick.
• Stained glass window depicting Saint Patrick: A colorful window showing Saint Patrick.
• Lady Altar with a mosaic icon of the Virgin Mary: An altar dedicated to Mary, Jesus's mother, with a beautiful picture made of small colored pieces.
• 50th Anniversary Stained Glass Window: A special window created to celebrate the church's 50th birthday.
• Original baptismal font: The basin used for baptisms, which has been there since the church was built.
• Carved triumphal cross depicting Christ the King: A large, carved cross showing Jesus as a king.
• A depiction of the Holy Spirit above the tabernacle: A symbol of the Holy Spirit located above the special box where the Eucharist is kept.