St. Anne, Ormskirk

Introduction

The parish of St Anne's, founded in 1732, has always been served by Benedictine monks.

History

The present church was opened in 1850, replacing an earlier chapel of 1795. Much of the stone for the building is said to have come from quarries at Parbold. The sanctuary was reordered in 1992 to bring the liturgical action nearer to the congregation. The high altar was designed by Edmund Kirby, a Liverpool architect, in 1874 and carved by Roddis, sculptor.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is in the Decorated style with a nave on a north-south axis, south tower, east and west aisles, and north chancel with west chapel. The square tower has angle-buttresses, a north-east stair-turret, a plinth with massive moulded coping, and a 2-centred arched trefoil-headed south doorway with deeply moulded surround and hoodmould with figured stops. The tower has an ogival-headed niche containing a statue of St Anne, a weathered band to the belfry stage with louvred 2-light windows, and an embattled parapet with swept pyramidal roof.

The 6-bay nave has pilaster strips, corbel tables, and spherical-triangle clerestory windows. The aisles have buttresses and 2-centred arched 2-light windows with hoodmoulds with foliated stops; the west aisle has a gabled porch to the 2nd bay with a double-chamfered 2-centred arched doorway. The chapel north of the west aisle has two tall lancets in the side and a 2-centred arched window in the north gable with reticulated tracery. Most windows have cast-iron diamond lattice glazing. The interior has octagonal columns carrying double-chamfered aisle arcades.

Parish life

The parish youth group Amplify, for secondary school children, enables them to complete Duke of Edinburgh awards and to serve as helpers on the Archdiocese pilgrimage to Lourdes. Older teenagers may join Animate, an Archdiocesan group of young people who commit to service for about a year and reside at Lowe House in St Helens. The parish takes part in the Good Friday Walk of Witness. The parish has a Pastoral Council whose purpose and membership are shown on the About Us page.

On the third Sunday, when uniform groups are present at Mass, there is no children's liturgy. A Finance Committee, established by canon law, assists the Parish Priest in managing all income and expenditure related to the parish's life and needs. St Anne's Catholic Primary School, within the Archdiocese of Liverpool, serves the parishes of St Anne's and St Mary's, Aughton, with strong parish-school links. St Bede's High School serves Ormskirk and the wider area, with St Anne's parish clergy visiting the school and pupils visiting the church.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish follows the Liverpool Archdiocese sacramental preparation programme 'With You Always' for Year 4 children. The parish requires at least six months' notice for marriages and one of the couple must live in Saint Anne's parish. Couples preparing for marriage are requested to attend the Archdiocese Marriage Preparation course. The priests are available to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick, and the parish asks people to phone to arrange a visit.

The names of those who are sick are recorded in the parish bulletin every week so that the parish can pray for them. Baptisms are held by appointment and take place following Sunday morning Mass, with parents completing a short programme of preparation.

Up to 3 children may be baptised at any one celebration of the Sacrament. Three months' notice is needed for baptisms. The parish has a Prayer Line that people can be added to for prayer.

Visiting

Courses such as the Alpha Course and the Pilgrim Course are available, and the Archdiocese offers a Diploma in Pastoral Ministry and courses led by the Irenaeus Project.