Parish of Christ the King and St Kentigern, Blackpool
Description
The Parish of Christ the King and St Kentigern, is part of the Blackpool Deanery and Diocese of Lancaster. Towards the end of the 19th century, the town of Blackpool began to grow at a very fast rate. It grew so fast that the Sacred Heart School was unable to cope with the high demand for places for Catholic schoolchildren. A new school and parish were needed.
In 1896, the Jesuits of Sacred Heart began the search for a suitable plot of land on which to build this school. This venture attracted the attention of the Parish Priest of St. Peter’s in Lytham, who was no admirer of the Society of Jesus, and who saw this as an opportunity to establish another diocesan parish in Blackpool. The whole affair went before the Archbishop of Liverpool, who decided against the Jesuits, and permission was granted to open a new mission to be run by the secular clergy.
This new mission was dedicated to St. Kentigern, the first Catholic enterprise to be dedicated to him since before the Reformation in the 16th century. Unfortunately, it is not known why this new parish and school were to bear his name.
In 1897, tenders went out for the construction of a new school and chapel, which were to be used together until such time as funds were available to build a separate church. Despite this undertaking, for reasons which are again unclear, work did not start on the building until 1904.
On 6th November 1904, the Archbishop of Liverpool, Thomas Whiteside, formally opened the new mission. The site of this building is today occupied by St. Kentigern’s School. The first rector was to be Father Blundell. An inaugural mass was celebrated by the Archbishop, who although delighted at the opening of a new parish, spoke in his homily of the heavy burden of debt which the new parish had taken on.
Over the years, much was done to reduce this debt quite considerably. One striking example of how money was raised was the "Fancy Fair" held over a period of three days November 1911 in the Indian Lounge of the town’s Winter Gardens. This was a grand, town-wide affair, intended to bring together the Catholic community of Blackpool. This particular ‘Fancy Fair’ raised £1650.00, the equivalent of between £85,000 to £100,000 by today’s standards.
Father Blundell remained as Parish Priest at St. Kentigern’s until 1923, when he moved on to St. Peter’s in Lancaster. Two Parish Priests followed in quick succession Father Roche, and Father Hall.
It was in 1926 that Father Robert McManus became Parish Priest, and he arrived with a brief to build a new church for the parish. The Bishop of the newly-founded diocese of Lancaster, Thomas Pearson, took a keen interest in this project, since it was to be the first church built in the new diocese. Father McManus was known as a man of taste, and consequently the new church was to be constructed of the finest building materials available at that time, something which had the effect of pushing the cost of the project well over budget.
Despite the cost, the church was completed and opened in 1931, and thanks to the combination of legacies and the overall generosity of the parishioners, by 1947 St. Kentigern’s was free of debt.
Father McManus, or rather Canon McManus as he was by now, remained Parish Priest until his death in 1951. He was succeeded by Father Burrows, who inherited a parish which was by now well-established. The school was well-attended, and there were plenty of organisations within the parish for the people join. Father Burrows stayed as Parish Priest until 1968.
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RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS
facebook.comTonight we hosted a Memorial Service in St Kentigern's for Dignity Funerals in memory of deceased friends and loved ones who have passed away this year. Our thanks to David Potts and staff for their support and to Fr John and Fr Collins...and Lizzie Cavanagh, our organist .
Thursday's Advent events in the Parish, plenty to choose from! St Kent's KS2 Christmas Production in church at 14:00 and 18:30 https://www.facebook.com/events/393949637706291/ Advent: Be Prepared! Each Thursday in Advent, afternoon prayer reflections with the SHCJ Sisters at Calvert Place. https://www.facebook.com/events/363824454069015/ Advent Festival, 6pm in the Chapel at St Mary's Catholic Academy https://www.facebook.com/events/126223861407627/
Tomorrow evening at 7.30 Dignity Funerals will host a Memorial Service at St Kentigern's followed by refreshments in the St Kentigern's Parish Centre. All welcome to remember deceased loved ones. https://www.facebook.com/events/669711093417402/
St Mary's Catholic Academy are holding an "Advent Festival" this Thursday at 5:45 in the school Chapel. All welcome. Please phone the school office for tickets: 01253 396286. All proceeds to Donna's Dream House https://www.facebook.com/events/126223861407627
Come out of the cold and join us for HOLY HOUR tonight at St Kentigern’s at 5:30pm. Starts with Rosary, followed by quiet Adoration and concludes with Benediction. All welcome to all or part of the hour. Please not the earlier than usual start time this week.
All our Parish Advent and Christmas Events have all been loaded into the Events Page, take a look and be sure to share them with your friends! www.facebook.com/pg/stkentigerns/events You can also download a hard copy here: https://stkentigerns.co.uk/Downloads/Christmas2017.pdf
This week's First Holy Communion Preparation begins at 6pm on Wednesday in the St Kentigern's Parish Centre concluding with a Reconciliation Service in Church. https://www.facebook.com/events/245131756019333/
As in Lent, it is traditional during Advent that the Sanctuary not be decorated with Flowers other than the Advent Wreath as we await the joyful coming of the Nativity at Christmas. There will be collections in both churches this weekend and next for Christmas Flowers. At St Kentigern’s, if you would like to include a name in the Christmas Floral Memorial, please hand the details in with your donation to one of the Flower Ladies
"Prepare a way for the Lord" The Parish Bulletin has been updated for the week of Sunday 10th December 2017, the Second Sunday of Advent, Year B. Download it below: www.stkentigerns.co.uk/Downloads/Bulletin.pdf HOLY HOUR on Tuesday. Please note the earlier start this week at 5.30pm.
CHRISTMAS QUIZ AND JUMPER NIGHT: Friday 22nd December starting at 8pm in St Kentigern's Parish Centre!
Our thanks to all who worked so hard to make both Christmas Fairs a great success. The Fair on Friday held at Christ the King Academy raised £1900 and the Fair on Sunday held in St Kentigern's Parish Centre raised £1795.91.
Happy Feast Day....Mother of Christ, Star of the Sea, pray for thy children, pray for me...
PICTURES BY OTHER USERS ON INSTAGRAM
I've never seen one of these in the wild before!
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Gibson who were married at St Kentigern's today. We wish you both every happiness in your married life. May the Lord bless you this day and always.
Congratulations on your wedding day, Mr and Mrs Gibson!
I played the organ for Dave and Angela on their wedding day today. It was a lovely service!
Welcome into the family of the Church Marcus Jimwill Gundayo, baptised last Sunday.
Happy Feast of the Epiphany! #wethreekings
We three Kings...
Glory to the newborn King! Merry Christmas!
Tonight St Kentigern's hosted the St Kentigern's Catholic Primary School Junior's Carol Service accompanied by @lizzthefrizz on the Organ. Well done all!
Quiz
