FAITH of OUR FATHERS II Our Lady & St

FAITH OF OUR FATHERS II Our Lady & St. Patrick’s, Oldham 150th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 150 FAITH OF OUR FATHERS II “To make the Church the home and the school of communion: that is Foreword the great challenge facing us in the As society changes and develops, the Church millennium which is now beginning… must change the way it promotes Gospel values and develops its mission in the world. We live with But what does this mean in practice?… accelerating change and our accustomed ways A spirituality of communion indicates of living and practising our faith must adapt and above all the heart’s contemplation mature, if our evangelisation is to thrive. In the of the mystery of the Trinity dwelling industrial northwest, we have seen great changes in the last 200 years where we have moved from in us, and whose light we must also a tolerated minority Church to a speedily growing be able to see shining on the face of Church through migration, which came, mainly, the brothers and sisters around us… at first from Ireland but increasingly from all over A spirituality of communion implies the world. also the ability to see what is positive The Diocese of Salford quickly became in others, to welcome it and prize it cosmopolitan. Secularism, materialism and consumerism have all had their impact on as a gift from God… A spirituality of Church membership and practise of faith, but the communion means, finally, to know Diocese has been enriched by the contributions how to “make room” for our brothers of so many cultures in demonstrating different and sisters, bearing “each other’s customs, traditions and devotions. St Patrick’s 150 years has embraced the change and brought burdens…” (Gal 6:2) encouragement to several generations as its Pope St. John Paul II in international community has grown in its diversity. I welcome the publication of this book as a record Novo Millennio ineunte 2000 of so much that has been achieved – not without difficulties and challenges – throughout its history. While looking back with gratitude, the 150th anniversary is also a reason to look forward to see how best, in this constantly changing world, this parish community may fulfil its vocation of SIX OF THE BEST missionary discipleship. The Parish Objectives from our Bishop John Arnold Mission Statement formed by the Bishop of Salford Parish Team are: 1) To make Christ’s Mission alive here and now. 2) To build good relationships with the wider community. 3) To be inclusive and to build a true ‘community of communities’. 4) To practise a fundamental option for the poor. 5) To be immersed in the joys and sorrows of God’s people. 6) To keep and maintain a ten-year plan for the continued maintenance of the church buildings committed to our charge. Bishop John Arnold 2 FAITH OF OUR FATHERS II INTRODUCTION Contents In the year 2000, ‘Faith of our FOREWORD Fathers’ chronicled the first Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford 2 142 years of the life of Our Lady INTRODUCTION 3 of Mount Carmel and St. Patrick’s Parish, Oldham. It was compiled PERSONAL ACCOUNT – Father Phil Sumner and edited by Vincent Hall. • Initial steps 4 ‘Faith of our Fathers II’, is intended • Spreading the Word 9 to continue the story as we • Parish events to build community, approach the 150th anniversary of to celebrate and to provide support 11 the opening of the present church. • Reorganisation of the Parishes in the Deanery 16 In May 2001, riots erupted on the streets • Celebrating 40 Years of Priesthood 17 of Oldham. Images of these riots appeared • The Filipino Community 17 on television screens nationally and it • Celebrating 150 years 19 was clear that Oldham and several other northern towns had a real problem of a • Work in Schools and Colleges 20 lack of community cohesion. There had • To practise a fundamental option been a breakdown in relationships for the poor 21 between people of the Muslim faith and others, many of whom referred to JUST SAYING… Father Phil Sumner 21 themselves as Christians, whether they A TAPESTRY OF HAPPY MEMORIES attended church or not. For all the FROM PARISHIONERS communities based in Oldham, but particularly for faith communities, there • The way it was – Eileen O’Doherty IBVM 22 had to be a commitment to be part of the • The Filipino Choir – Cora Fernando 24 healing process for as long as it would • The African Choir – Alexis Douniama 25 take. This was the necessary backdrop that • Thoughts from a Holy Rosary parishioner – could neither be ignored or denied for the Terence Cavanagh 26 development of any Mission Statement • Coming Home to St. Patrick’s – for a church in 2001. The Pope’s remarks Colin Riley, Office Manager 26 about a “spirituality of communion” in his Apostolic Letter at the beginning of the THE BUILDINGS’ REPORT – John Green Millennium (quoted at the beginning of (Buildings Maintenance Manager) this booklet) identified the challenge and • Listed 28 provided a vision for a way forward. • August 2002 – Central Heating 28 To show how we have responded to this • 2003–2005 29 challenge and fulfilled something of this • 2008 – The Polish Window 30 vision, we present this account, with a personal report by me, as the Parish Priest • 2011 – The Church Bell 30 and a separate account, by John Green, • 2013 – Windows and Link Bridge 31 of all the major building work carried out • Filipino Window 33 in that period plus individual accounts • Decoration of the Church 33 from members representing some of the • New Lighting 35 varied communities of the Parish. • The Last Word 35 3 FAITH OF OUR FATHERS II Personal Account – Father Phil Sumner Initial Steps I arrived in St. Patrick’s Parish on 11 September of the disgruntled parishioner being proved right about 2001. It was a Tuesday, about 11am, and the me being a “self-seeking publicist”, some of this account, Parish Office Manager, Vincent Hall, was there I hope, will show that Chris Hilyer’s remarks were not completely without foundation. to welcome me. Vincent’s greeting, on behalf of the Parish, was generous and genuine and I had been sent to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Patrick’s Parish partly because of the riots that had he provided sterling support to me throughout taken place in May 2001. There had been unrest in the subsequent years, until he became ill in 2018. different parts of the town and there were reports of I had been ‘high-profile’ in terms of the community an attack on the church property. Indeed, I was warned, response to the riots in Moss Side since July 1981, so as I arrived, not to push on a switch to the right-hand it was no surprise that the Press were interested in my side of what was to be my bed unless the building was arrival in Oldham to be part of the community response under attack. This was an alarm system, installed by the to the riots here, albeit 20 years later. On that first day in police to afford a little peace of mind to the incumbent the Parish, I stood beside the church to be interviewed in view of the perceived threat. Eighteen years later, for North West television news; the interview, as far as I can report that I never had to use it! I know, was never broadcast because shortly after 1pm, One of the briefs given to me by Bishop Terence Brain I received a phone call from Eileen Hall (Vincent’s wife) on my appointment was to be part of the community telling me to turn the television on and to watch the response to these tensions. From the beginning I horrendous, unfolding news coming in from New York. attended meetings between faith leaders in the Borough. The unbelievable images of the collapse of the Twin These ‘leaders’ had been brought together initially by Towers of the World Trade Centre after a terrorist attack David Ritchie, who was writing a report for Central rightly ensured that any other news that day was buried Government on the causes of the riots. On Thursday without trace. 7 March 2002, there was another of these meetings at My television interview, however, had not gone the Link Centre during which the Oldham Interfaith un-noticed by at least one parishioner, who wrote to Forum was formed and I was elected as the first Chair. the Oldham Chronicle in disgust: “Never has a Parish The story of the Oldham Interfaith Forum is told Priest arrived in such a blaze of publicity as that afforded elsewhere but, for the moment, suffice it to say that to this self-proclaimed second Saviour and self-seeking I and several members of the Parish have been active publicist.” Perhaps it hadn’t helped that on the day of in building good relations across the faith communities my arrival, the Oldham Chronicle had proclaimed on ever since. Indeed, from 2004, the Forum has been the front page, ‘Fr. Phil arrives in town!’ And then the housed in what was the housekeeper’s room, next headline to the article on page five of the same paper to the kitchen on the ground floor of the Presbytery. made me a hostage to fortune: ‘Miracle worker’ it The sixth formers from the college next door must suggested, ‘answers help call’. have sometimes wondered what was going on as they witnessed various bearded Muslim men and Another parishioner was to leap to my defence a day hijab-wearing women entering or leaving the or two later in a letter published in the same newspaper, Presbytery for meetings.

Load more