Holy Cross and St Helen Church is a
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* Chris ...
in
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens () is a town in Merseyside, England, with a population of 102,629. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, which had a population of 176,843 at the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 Census.
St Helens i ...
. The church was built in 1860 by the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
. It was designed by
Joseph John Scoles
Joseph John Scoles (1798–1863) was an English Gothic Revival architect, who designed many Roman Catholic churches.
Early life and education
Scoles was born in London on 27 June 1798, the son of Roman Catholic parents Matthew Scoles, a joiner, ...
and is a Grade II listed building.
[British listed buildings]
retrieved 16 August 2013
History
The church was founded by the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
in 1860. Fr Thomas Seed, the head of the Jesuits in Britain, who also founded
Sacred Heart Church in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
laid the foundation stone of the church on 3 May 1860, what was then
Feast of the Finding of the True Cross.
The church was designed by
Joseph John Scoles
Joseph John Scoles (1798–1863) was an English Gothic Revival architect, who designed many Roman Catholic churches.
Early life and education
Scoles was born in London on 27 June 1798, the son of Roman Catholic parents Matthew Scoles, a joiner, ...
who also designed
St Ignatius Church, Preston
The Syro-Malabar Cathedral of St Alphonsa also known as St Ignatius Church is a Catholic cathedral of the Syro-Malabar rite in Preston, Lancashire. It is the cathedral of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Great Britain, and was previously ...
in Lancashire,
Immaculate Conception Church, Farm Street
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, also known as Farm Street Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church run by the Society of Jesus in Mayfair, central London. Its main entrance is in Farm Street, though it can also be accessed ...
in London and the
Church of Saint Francis Xavier, Liverpool
St Francis Xavier's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Salisbury Street, Everton, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building. It is an active ...
. Construction of the church lasted for almost two years and the church was opened on 1 May 1862.
[
In the church there is a memorial stone dated 1933, showing when the Jesuits handed over the church to the ]Archdiocese of Liverpool
The Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool ( la, Archidioecesis Liverpolitana) is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church that covers the Isle of Man and part of North West England. The episcopal see is Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. The archdiocese ...
, who have continued to administer it ever since.
Parish
Sunday Mass is at 10am. Weekday Masses are as follows: 12.15pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 11am on Tuesday. Confessions are from 11am to 11.45am before the 12.15pm Mass. There are no confessions on Tuesdays. In addition Exposition takes place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (half an hour before and after Mass).
Entrance to the church is via Corporation Street (southern side) or Parade Street (northern side), where there is also an additional gate for level access. The original front entrance is no longer used.
In July 2020, the church of SS Peter & Paul, Haresfinch was closed, and this parish was merged into the parish of Holy Cross and St Helen under its former Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Kevan O'Brien.
Gallery
File:Holy Cross Church, St Helens by Dave Bevis Geograph 3922524.jpg, North-Eastern aspect of Church of Holy Cross & St. Helen, St. Helens, Merseyside
File:Southern aspect of RC Church of Holy Cross & St. Helen, St. Helens, Merseyside.jpg, Southern aspect of Church of Holy Cross & St. Helen, St. Helens, Merseyside
See also
* Listed buildings in St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens, Merseyside, St Helens is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside, England. The Civil parishes in England, unparished area contains 67 buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as de ...
References
External links
Archdiocese of Liverpool website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holy Cross Church, Saint Helens
Grade II listed churches in Merseyside
Roman Catholic churches in Merseyside
Holy Cross Church
Roman Catholic churches completed in 1862
Grade II listed Roman Catholic churches in England
1862 establishments in England
Gothic Revival architecture in Merseyside
Gothic Revival church buildings in England
19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United Kingdom