St Osmund, Breightmet

Introduction

In 1913 Canon Woods, Rector of St Patrick's, started a Sunday school in Breightmet. Mass was first said in 1914 in premises on Long Lane, and in 1923 it was decided to establish an independent parish.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is built in a simplified Romanesque style with a centrally-placed rectangular west tower and a northwest porch. Its construction uses partly loadbearing brickwork with three steel portal frames supporting a steeply-pitched roof covered in green concrete tiles. The stained glass in the sanctuary and baptistery, depicting scenes of Christ's Life and Passion, was made by Charles Lightfoot and Sons of Manchester. The Jardine organ was brought from St Mary's Church, Bolton in the 1970s.

The marble altar rails were removed when the high altar was moved forward, but a short section was retained and converted to a credence table. A flat-roofed sacristy forms a link with the presbytery, which dates from the 1950s. The main west doorway leads into a narthex with a choir gallery above. The nave is contained by two concrete trusses in the form of a Gothic arch, and divided into bays by the steel trusses, which are encased and project below the ceiling.

The original baptistery was converted as an oratory for weekday Mass in winter. The former Lady Chapel is used as the baptistery.

Parish life

St Teresa's Parish amalgamated with St Osmund's, Breightmet, and together they became part of the Blessed Dominic Barberi Parish in October 2019. On January 23rd 2020, people from Blessed Dominic Barberi Parish gathered for the first initiative of the newly formed parish, which was to examine Stage 3, Living the Sunday Eucharist.

The crucifix and pews were made by L. Brown & Sons of Wilmslow. The windows are tall and narrow.