St. Mary of the Assumption

Introduction

Saint Mary of the Assumption in Calton was designated Saint Mary's Pro-Cathedral on 15 August 2009, the 167th anniversary of the parish's foundation and the church's opening and dedication. The church opened on Monday 15 August 1842 and its exterior is almost unchanged from that day.

History

In 1846, Father Peter Forbes, the first parish priest of Saint Mary's, visited the convent in Tourcoing and appealed for Sisters to come to Scotland. In 1865 the south wall of the church was noticed to be several inches out of line and required repair; while repairs were being planned the entire ceiling fell in during the night. After the ceiling collapse, a new less ornate ceiling supported with pillars was installed and a gallery was added.

The sacristy area of the church was renovated thanks to Historic Scotland, Glasgow City Council, Scottish Churches Architectural Heritage Trust, the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the people of Saint Mary's. Saint Mary's is built on a clayfield and there were several brickworks in operation as the church was built. The architects of Saint Mary's church were reported in the centenary brochure as having been a famous London firm, Goldie and Childe, the same firm later responsible for Saint Mungo's in Townhead.

Architecture and furnishings

The stained glass was created by the world famous Mayer of Munich. The glass from the Sacred Heart and Lady Chapels underwent renovation in mid 2004. Canon Dyer, who became parish priest in 1896, also made changes to the sanctuary.

In the church the Joyful and the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary are depicted in the windows at the Sacred Heart side and the Lady Chapel side respectively. In the Sacred Heart Chapel there is a window depicting Saint Margaret Mary receiving her vision of the Sacred Heart. The Lady Chapel and Sacred Heart altars are of a similar style though the side panels of the Lady Chapel are more decorative.

The new paintings were commissioned by the famous architect Jack Coia and painted by Frank Duffy, who lived in Biggar and died at Mass on the Sunday after he finished the work in Saint Mary's. Underneath the Sacred Heart Chapel is the crypt of Saint Mary's; until Saint Andrew's Cathedral added a crypt in 1980, Saint Mary's was the only church in the Archdiocese to have a crypt.

Parish life

In 1887 Brother Walfrid and a group of men of the parish founded a charity to assist with the care of the poor. The parishioners are engaged in a series of fund-raising ventures to pay for essential works.

Visiting

Confessions are heard at any time by appointment or on reasonable request. The parish records Sunday Mass each weekend and makes it available on its YouTube Channel, Masses from the Calton. The sacristy contains several vestments dating from early last century, banners once used in outdoor processions, and a Latin Office book.