St Joseph, Wrightington

Introduction

St Joseph, Wrightington, in Wigan, is a Grade II listed building, first listed on 19-Aug-1988. The church was built in 1892 by James Sinnott. The church is built of sandstone rubble with slate roofs.

History

Following the Reformation, Catholicism was outlawed in England, and Wrightington Hall became a haven for missionary priests and underground worship. Priest Christopher Tootell served from 1686, writing catechetical works and ministering under threat of imprisonment. Bishop John Leyburn confirmed over 1,800 Catholics in Wigan and Wrightington during his 1687 visitation to Lancashire. In 2019, a statue of St Joseph was restored and repositioned to mark the 125th anniversary of the church. The church was funded by the Clifton-Dicconsons and Gerard-Dicconsons families in the late nineteenth century.

Architecture and furnishings

The church comprises a nave, south porch, north and south transepts, crossing tower, and apsidal chancel. The nave has 3 bays with windows of 2 trefoiled lights under a pointed head with quatrefoil. The crossing tower has a pyramid roof and 2 bell openings of 2 lights with pointed heads on each side. The apse is 3-sided and has paired trefoiled lancet windows.

The north transept has a rose window above two similar windows in its north wall. The south transept has a rose window above a single-storey lean-to link to the presbytery. The nave roof is boarded with trusses having curved braces to collars carried on corbels. The crossing arches are pointed and chamfered in 2 orders, with inner orders springing from semi-octagonal responds on carved corbels.

The south transept contains an organ. The north transept is divided from the crossing by a timber screen. The chancel has alabaster inlay below the level of the windows, which have stencil decoration to the reveals. Behind the altar is an iron openwork canopy. Children's Liturgy is the Liturgy of the Word for children, with discussion, prayers, songs, drama and craft.

Parish life

The grounds of the church and cemetery are maintained by Midstream Ltd, a charitable organisation. Parish catechists assist parents in leading their own children in the ways of the Faith. Six groups on a rota clean the church on different days, including Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The parish has extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist who assist in distributing Holy Communion and bring it to the housebound. The church has an upgraded sound system with a loop system for the hearing impaired.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Children's Liturgy is offered at the Sunday Mass for children aged 3–13, who leave for their own Liturgy and return before the Offertory. A minimum of six months notice must be given to allow for the Parish Priest to prepare a man and a woman for Christian Marriage. Marriages are not conducted on New Years Day, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day or Boxing Day.