St Willibrord, Clayton

Introduction

The Bishop of Salford laid the Foundation Stone. Father Patrick Dillon supervised the building of the present church, which opened in 1938.

History

Father Sassen, a Dutch priest, acquired land in Clayton from St Brigid's for a church in 1905 and chose the name Willibrord. The church is similar to the Church of St Dunstan, Moston Lane, Lightbowne, also by Reynolds.

Architecture and furnishings

The church has a nave with a low central tower, west narthex with south porch, tall north and south aisles, north chapels and vestry, chancel and apse. The interior has three sail-domes with transverse arches on wall-piers pierced for aisle passages and by semi-circular arches at the tops. The apsidal sanctuary has a mosaic arcading ceiling depicting the Holy Spirit as a dove, and side chapels and altars also have mosaics.

The altar in St Willibrord's church is the original altar with a mosaic design on the front. The very high nave has a pilastered parapet stepped up in the centre to meet the chamfered corners of a low tower with three small round-headed lancets at parapet level. The tall south aisle takes the form of three gabled transeptal bays with narrow links, the gables false, and a square-headed doorway to the centre bay with stone surround flanked by small square-headed lancets. The tall gabled porch to the left has a doorway like that in the centre but includes a statue in a niche and an oculus above.

The north aisle is similar to the south aisle but with low chapels attached to the centre and west bays. The north aisle chapels are formed of three low semi-circular arches diminishing in succession.

Parish life

The parish runs a sacramental programme for older children, held on Sundays at St Anne's before Mass and open to children from both Catholic and non-Catholic schools. Eucharistic Ministers from the parish take Holy Communion to the sick and housebound.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish supports Just Youth, a youth ministry project established in 1998 in Salford by Spiritans, providing educational activities for young people. Children are presented and welcomed into the Parish community before receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, and then the Eucharist.

Visiting

A space in the foyer at the back of the church allows families to take restless children for a short time out. The church provides a loop system for the hard of hearing, ramped access, and accessible toilet facilities. Electronic copies of the parish newsletter are available on the Parish Website.