St Vincent de Paul - Knutsford

Introduction

St Vincent de Paul Church in Knutsford, within the Diocese of Shrewsbury, was built in 1981 in the grounds of the old church with a modern octagonal design.

Architecture and furnishings

Bert Harris wrote a full history of St Vincent's Parish from its beginning to 1985, which was published in 1985. Twenty years after the original build, the Apse was constructed, incorporating a Harry Clarke stained-glass window. The altar and its matching ambo are of simple, elegant marble construction and form the focal point of the church.

A step at the rear of the apse raises the celebrant's chair, and the windows are positioned to be visible throughout the church. Candle-holders and candles are mounted on brackets on each side of the apse, stepped at an angle similar to the pointed window top. The stained glass is double-glazed with clear toughened glass externally, and the panels open inwards for cleaning. The original portable wooden lectern was replaced with a new fixed ambo with a marble base and glass top, and the Tabernacle shelf was replaced in matching marble.

The Tabernacle has its own dedicated space at the front of the church for reservation of the Blessed Sacrament and private prayer. The church lighting was redesigned with sloping lines to the main light baffles to follow the interior embellishment.

Parish life

The parish is linked with Siem Reap parish in Cambodia and has been fundraising to support their development of a new centre in a new parish in the nearby countryside. The SVP group in St Vincent's Parish was created in 1936 and is part of the Shrewsbury Diocese.

The parish maintains ecumenical relationships with other Christian churches in the town, with regular meetings of the clergy fraternal. The clergy fraternal includes St John the Baptist, St Cross, Knutsford Methodist Church, the Full Gospel Church, and St Vincent's, and meets several times each year.

The parish has a Baptism Group that provides support and guidance to families prior to the Baptism. The Baptism Group supports the annual Mass of Celebration for families who have had a baptism during the previous 12 months.

The parish belongs to Local Pastoral Area Number Six, linked with the parishes of St Teresa's, Wilmslow, St Pius, Alderley Edge and St Benedict's, Handforth. The Pastoral Area team comprises all the Parish Priests, a lay member from each parish, a catechist, a deacon and a teacher, and meets regularly. The church has limited parking in the grounds, but there is ample public parking within a short distance.

Regular events

The churches in the fraternal jointly participate in the Annual Service of Remembrance in November and the Dedication of the Town Christmas Crib in Advent.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Children are enrolled for First Holy Communion after Christmas, with the Lent Term focusing on the Sacrament of Penance and preparation after Easter for First Holy Communion; children taking part are in year 3 or above. Services of Penance take place during Lent and Advent each year. The SVP group is twinned with four SVP groups in India and sponsors students training to be nurses and doctors.