Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph, Prescot

Introduction

Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph in Prescot, within the Archdiocese of Liverpool, was built in 1856-7 by J. Hansom.

History

The church was built north to south instead of east, due to insufficient land on the westward side. The church was re-roofed in 1883 and the organ reconstructed in 1884 under Father Brindle. In August 1932 the secular clergy took over the care of the parish, with Father Denis O’Shea as first parish priest. In 1946 the church underwent major repairs to save the fabric, completed after fifteen months at a cost of over £11,000.

The church re-opened with the blessing of a new Altar and Ambo, reusing marble from the former pulpit and communion rail. New boilers were installed in 2012 and the church roof was replaced in 2018.

The chancel reredos has gabled traceried panels, cresting and a central gabled aedicule. Father Joseph Walmsley erected the Lady Altar under the east window of the truncated transept and died in 1864. In 1922 Father Moran installed the present high altar of Hopwood stone, funded by a bequest from Dr Brindle.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is of rock-faced stone with ashlar dressings and a slate roof, with a 7-bay nave, shallow transepts and 2-bay chancel. The west front has a short spire with an iron cross. The interior has a west gallery on braced timber posts and stepped triple segmental-pointed arches to the transepts.

The side altars were presented by the parishioners to the memory of the dead of two wars. The opening Mass for the church was recorded in the Liverpool Daily Post, dated October 22nd 1857.

Parish life

The parish is part of the Prescot/Whiston family of parishes with St Luke the Evangelist, St Leo and Our Lady Help of Christians. The local weekly Foodbank is hosted by the Salvation Army in Prescot.

Young people in Year 8 prepare for Confirmation through Catholic High schools and their local Deanery in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The parish has links to other Christian churches in Prescot.

Regular events

Father Francis Melling arranged the first outdoor procession of the Blessed Sacrament in 1927, held on the Sunday within the Octave of the Feast of Corpus Christi, and parishioners join annually.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Children aged 8 and above can begin preparing for their first Confession and then their first Holy Communion through the parish's Little Church group during Sunday Mass. Adults who have not made their first Holy Communion are invited to speak to the parish priest about preparing to receive the sacrament. Couples looking to get married at the church are invited to speak to the parish priest.