St. Gerard

Introduction

The Parish of St Gerard was founded on 1st September 1967 to serve the North Road and Hattonrigg area of Bellshill, in the Diocese of Motherwell. Construction of the new St Gerard's Church building on Fleming Road, in the heart of the Shirrell housing estate, began in December 1969 and was completed in May 1971.

History

On 16th May 1986 extensive damage was done to St Gerard's Church when the Sanctuary was completely destroyed by fire; the Church was closed for repair for several months and reopened in time for Christmas 1986. A Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated on 16th October 1996, the Feast of St Gerard Majella, to mark the Silver Jubilee of the opening of St Gerard's Church. On 14th November 2018, the two parishes of Sacred Heart Bellshill and St Gerard's Bellshill were formally amalgamated to become the new parish of Sacred Heart & St Gerard.

After 53 years serving the community, the decision was made to close St Gerard's Church owing to major repairs required in both Churches and a decline in parishioner numbers. The community of St Gerard's Parish celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the parish with a Mass of Thanksgiving on 1st September 2017. A Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated on 13th June 2021 to mark the Golden Jubilee of the opening of St Gerard's Church. On 24th November 2024, the community gathered in St Gerard's Church for the final time for a Mass of Thanksgiving. The Society of St Vincent de Paul, a Church Choir, a Women's Guild, and a Youth Club were all inaugurated to serve the new parish.

Architecture and furnishings

A statue of Our Lady of Knock was installed in St Gerard's Church in memory of the longest serving parish priest of St Gerard's, who retired after 27 years in 2011 and died in 2018.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Marriage is arranged by appointment with the Parish Clergy. Sister Patrick Joseph from the Mossend Convent served as Pastoral Assistant at St Gerard's from September 1986 until 1995.