St. Vincent de Paul

Introduction

The parish of St Vincent's in Altrincham was originally instituted in the mid-late C19 from a community of Irish immigrants who had come to escape the famine of 1845-52 and to work on the Manchester Ship Canal and farms in Cheshire.

History

Before 1847, the Catholics in Altrincham walked eight miles to Barton on Irwell in order to hear Mass. A chapel was improvised from cottages in New Street, with seating for 550 people. When a new church was opened in Bentinck Road in 1905, the premises in New Street was retained for a variety of parish functions, including a club for young men and as temporary accommodation for Belgian refugees during the First World War.

Music and liturgy

The parish has a programme of preparation and formation for the baptism of children and adults. Adults who are not Catholics and would like to receive Holy Communion can follow the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) course. Young people from Year 8 and above join the parish Confirmation preparation programme which runs usually from Lent to Pentecost.

Parish life

The parish community has been serving the people of Altrincham and the surrounding villages since 1847. The parish is diverse, comprising the market town of Altrincham and the villages of Bowdon and Hale.

The parish has a Society of Saint Vincent de Paul group. The parish has a Justice and Peace / CAFOD Group. The parish has an Altar Servers group.

The parish has a Parish Pastoral Team, a representative body of parishioners that works with the clergy. The parish has a magazine called The Vineyard.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish has a programme for supporting people who are thinking about becoming a Catholic. The parish's current priorities include communication, which supports and underpins the other priorities.