Saint Patrick

Introduction

Saint Patrick Church in Dumbarton, in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, was formally opened on 22 March 1903 by Archbishop Maguire. A detached tower, designed by Pugin and Pugin of London, was added in 1926-7.

History

The parish was founded in 1830 when Father John Gordon built a church and presbytery on a site in Church Street. The foundation stone of the new church was laid on 4 May 1901 by Bishop John Maguire.

The foundation stone of the tower was laid on 27 June 1926 by Archbishop Mackintosh. By the end of 1927, the tower and its carillon of 23 bells, along with new marble side altars, pulpit, altar rails, organ and mortuary chapel, were completed. In May 1941 an unexploded bomb fell in the church grounds.

In 1998 the sanctuary was re-ordered in accordance with Vatican II recommendations, with a permanent free-standing altar constructed. Father John Dougan became parish priest in 1893 but died of typhoid on 2 August 1893.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is built of bullfaced red snecked rubble with polished dressings. The interior has aisle arcades on circular piers and a small organ gallery at the north. The high altar with reredos is under a gothic baldacchino, all in marble.

The tower is 79 feet high to the parapet and 100 feet to the top of the pinnacles. The church contains a painted figure of Saint Michael by Eric Gill.

The statue of Saint Michael the Archangel, with holy water fonts, was donated by the Gordon family to commemorate Father Michael Gordon, killed at Coxyde in 1917, and is the work of Eric Gill. The organ was installed in 1927, built by Andrew Watt & Son of Glasgow, and encased in oak to the design of Pugin and Pugin. The belfry contains a carillon of 23 bells, one of only 4 carillons in Scotland. The tenor bell was cast by Gillet & Johnston of Croydon and blessed on 17 March 1927.

The marble Lady altar was erected in 1927. The church was described as being of Early English Gothic style carried out in a simple manner. The high altar has a white baldachin resting on six black marble pillars on either side. Behind the altar, a reredos of carved marble features coloured mosaics depicting the Sacrifice of Abraham and the Feeding of the Five Thousand.

The Sacred Heart Altar and the Lady Altar, both of marble, were executed in the Italian city of Leghorn. The tower has three niches with life-sized stone statues by Messrs Boulton of Cheltenham. The organ was formally blessed on 11 August 1927 by Monsignor Hugh Kelly. The sanctuary extension of 1935 involved demolishing the gable wall with clerestory windows and building a new one twenty feet to the rear with a lower wooden ceiling. The Memorial Chapel was used as a Mortuary Chapel until recent years.

Music and liturgy

The bells are dedicated to Our Lady and various saints, and a clock was later installed in the belfry. The tenor bell is a swinging bell operated by a rope, while the others are stationary and rung by hammers from a carillon clavier.

The parish has a Carillon Bell ringers group. The parish has a Spiritual Life Group that meets to prepare the liturgy throughout the year and organise para-liturgical events. The parish has a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults group that shares faith with those interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. The parish has a Legion of Mary group that meets and works weekly in the parish.

The parish has a St Anne's Prayer Shawl Group that knits prayer shawls on request for the sick and those in need, with each stitch knitted with a prayer. The parish has a St Vincent de Paul group that supports the poor of the parish and visits the housebound and sick in hospital. The parish has a Eucharistic Ministers group that distributes the Eucharist at all masses and communion to the housebound. The parish has a Readers group that assists by reading at daily and Sunday masses.

The parish has an Altar Servers group that serves in teams at all parish services. The parish has a Flower Arrangers group responsible for the flowers in the church. The parish has a Gardeners group responsible for the care of the church grounds. The parish has a Library that is open every Sunday before and after mass.

The parish has a Men's Group that provides an opportunity to meet and support. The parish has an Ecumenism group that meets and shares with other denominations. The parish has a Passkeepers group that supports the Parish Priest in matters concerning the pastoral life of the parish. The parish has a Communication Group that looks at modern means of communication to proclaim the Gospel to parishioners.

The parish has an Editorial Team responsible for producing the Bulletin. The parish has a Care of All group concerned with the organising of a variety of events in the parish. The parish has a Messengers group of volunteers who deliver the 'Latest' to each family in the parish.

Parish life

The parish has a Church Cleaners group that cares for and cleans the church building. The parish works together with the local Catholic school and home to prepare children for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, with preparation generally taking place at the beginning of Lent in primary 3. Children are confirmed when they are in primary 7, with preparation involving the family, the school and the parish. The housebound regularly receive communion from parish Eucharistic ministers and the priest calls round the sick a few times each year.

The parish has a live webcam for streaming services. The parish is made up of a diverse population with some long established families and an increasing number of people newly arrived in the town.

Regular events

The first Dumbarton parish pilgrimage to Lourdes took place in 1912, with annual pilgrimages thereafter apart from the war years. At the feast of Corpus Christi, there is a procession of the Blessed Sacrament in the Church grounds in which all children who have made their First Holy Communion are invited to participate.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Adults who wish to become Catholics are baptised at the Easter Vigil, with preparation by a group of Catholics who explain the faith. The period of RCIA preparation is flexible and can be extended depending on conversation with the RCIA team.

Visiting

The St Francis Prayer Group meets monthly in the parish. The Bereavement Group supports bereaved families. The Fabric and Finance group maintains the fabric of the building and grounds. The Events Team organises social events in the parish.