St. Peter's Church, Newchurch

Introduction

Saint Peter's Church in Newchurch, within the Diocese of Salford, opened in 1928.

History

Bishop Henshaw of Salford laid the foundation stone for the present church on October 1, 1927. In 1891 Canon Mussley purchased a former Methodist church, Mount Tabor, and dedicated it to Saint Peter. In February 1915 Father Henry was appointed the first parish priest. Father Magill remained at Saint Peter's until his death in 1957.

In 1920 Father Cashell died while returning to his native Cork for a holiday. The former Methodist church Mount Tabor, bought in 1891, stood on the site of the present church. The church opened in December 1916; every item had to be bought except the high altar, which was donated by parishioners of St Marie's Church, Bury.

Architecture and furnishings

The new church had seating for 400, Stations of the Cross donated by families, a pulpit bought with donations, and sanctuary lamps bought by school children.

Parish life

The Catholic mission in Newchurch was founded in 1892, with a Catholic population of about 350 and 93 pupils at the school. During its infancy the mission had no material possessions, not even a candlestick; the priest from St Joseph's brought all that was needed for mass and loaded it back on to his cart before returning to Stacksteads. A group of men, Edward McGowan, Thomas Fenton, Elija Whitehead, Jack Lambert and Hughie Green, approached the Bishop to get St Peter's established as a parish in its own right. Parish members T. Moran, W. Ashworth, D. Hiddleston and J. Elliot produced a brochure tracing the story of the birth and growth of St Peter's.