St Mary - Dunkinfield

Introduction

The first church was later known as the Mother Church, from which St Peter's Stalybridge (1839), St Paul's Hyde (1848), St Anne's Ashton (1859) and St Mary's Ashton (1870) sprang.

History

St Mary's parish can be traced to a private oratory dating back to the Middle Ages, and at its foundation in 1825 it became the Mother Church of the area. In 1847, the church was discovered to have been built over a coal mine and was in danger of collapsing, so for the next ten years Mass was celebrated in the Old General Inn. In 1975 the interior was greatly altered: the pulpit and altar rails were removed, the sanctuary floor level raised, and parts of the altar rails were reconstructed into two lecterns. In 2002 the Church was completely renovated, modernised and redecorated; the entrance was improved for disabled access, a loop system for hearing aids was installed, the heating system was completely replaced, and a new meeting room was added. The new Chapel in Astley Street, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, was solemnly dedicated and opened in November 1825, described as 'a neat Chapel of the Grecian style'.

Parish life

The parish supports St Mary's Catholic Primary, Dukinfield, St Paul's Catholic Primary, Hyde, and All Saints Catholic College, Dukinfield. Mass is celebrated in All Saints College every half term. St Mary's Mass includes Children's Liturgy.

First Holy Communion candidates are prepared in the parish schools by their class teachers, with evening sessions for families and the Parish Priest. Parents with children not at St Mary's or St Paul's school can participate in a parish course for First Holy Communion.

The confirmation programme runs every year, with teaching at St Mary's church on a weekday evening supported by the diocesan youth team. Arrangements exist in the parish for Holy Communion to be taken to the sick and housebound. The parish priest visits the sick and homebound regularly.

Couples preparing for marriage in the parish must attend a course with Marriage Care based in Stockport. St Mary's School ceased to be an all age-group school when St Peter and St Paul's Secondary School was opened on 5th September 1962. St Mary's continued as a primary school in the existing building in Zetland Street until November 1970 when a new open-plan primary school was opened in Cheetham Hill Road. In February 1853, Father Reah was replaced at St Paul's by Father John Hill, an Irishman from Drogheda with outstanding amateur artistic and musical talents.

In 1897 when Bishop Carroll, the third Bishop of Shrewsbury died, he had requested that he be buried in Dukinfield Cemetery. The Catholic Hierarchy was restored in 1850, permission was given to re-establish Dioceses, and Bishop John Brown was ordained the first Bishop of Shrewsbury.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Couples must book their wedding date at least a year in advance with the parish priest. First Holy Communion candidates in the parish (usually Year 3 upwards) receive Holy Communion for the first time on a Saturday usually in May or June.