St. Patrick

Introduction

Saint Patrick's Church in Coatbridge, in the Diocese of Motherwell, was opened and blessed on 17 May 1896 by Bishop John A Maguire.

History

In 1866, St Patrick's Church was renovated and enlarged, with Pontifical Mass celebrated by Bishop John Gray. In 1984/5, root and branch alterations, cleaning and painting took place. Fr Michael O'Keeffe became the second pastor in August 1847 and spent 46 years in St Patrick's.

Architecture and furnishings

The interior has 6 principal bays with octagonal piers and moulded pointed arches, a glazed timber narthex with lattice pattern gallery above, and a richly decorated Gothic high altar and reredos. Peter Paul Pugin and Cuthbert Welby Pugin designed the Gothic style church in 1896. The church is built of bull-faced sandstone coursers with ashlar dressings and has a grey slate roof with decorative ridge tiles. The front elevation has a gabled bay with buttressed angles, a 3-light window, and pointed-arch porches with pentice roofs.

The right return elevation has an 8-bay aisle with various windows and a clerestorey with paired 2-light windows. The rear elevation has a canted apse with five 2-light windows. The Sacred Heart Altar was erected by the O’Hear family in memory of their parents, with no cost to the parish.

Music and liturgy

In 1878, Miss Campbell conducted the Coatbridge choir at the opening of the Glenboig chapel. In 1979, the Sunday Vigil Mass became a feature of parish life, celebrated on Saturday evening.

Parish life

The parish has a St Vincent de Paul group that provides assistance to those in need. The parish hall has Iona and Mayo halls available for functions. The parish has a Sunday Readers rota available for collection after Sunday Mass. The parish holds a foodbank collection for groceries.