St. Mary's Church, Heaton Norris

Introduction

Saint Mary's Church in Heaton Norris, within the Diocese of Salford, was opened in 1897. The parish holds an hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament each morning.

Architecture and furnishings

The east window and the pair of windows beside it were already installed when the church opened in 1897. A set of eight windows along the sides of the nave, depicting events in Our Lady's life, were unveiled in 1931, a gift from Archbishop Curley of Baltimore and Washington, USA, whose cousin Father Hughes was parish priest.

The window over Our Lady's altar depicts the Annunciation. The pair of windows either side of the east window acknowledge the English and Irish origins of the parish, one portraying two saints associated with Ireland, the other two saints associated with England.

The east window includes Mary of Magdala clinging passionately to the foot of the Cross. In the east window, the sun is depicted shining above Our Lady's head but eclipsed over Saint John's head, with a murky red background. In the east window, incense is depicted rising to God, crossing behind Pilate's inscription and winding behind the figures.

In the Immaculate Conception window, two angels bear banners with the words 'O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee', and a smaller angel holds a banner with 'Thou art all fair, my beloved'. In the Immaculate Conception window, rays of God's grace are represented by shafts of lighter and darker blue coming down from above Our Lady's head.

The Annunciation window depicts the scene inside Mary's home with a Mediaeval look, arches opening onto trees and a neighbouring house. In the Annunciation window, the archangel appears with wings, hovering over the ground. At certain times of year, the sun shines directly through the Sacred Heart window during Exposition.

Music and liturgy

The sister window to the east window shows Saint Patrick on the left and Saint Brigid on the right. The tiny window above Saints Patrick and Brigid contains a bunch of green Irish shamrock.

Visiting

The Presentation window is composed of three separate scenes figured in three panes. The priest made the traditional Rogation procession around the church, praying the Litany of the Saints. The priest has talked about the windows to groups of visitors.