Church Of St Thomas More, Seaford
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The Church of St Thomas More is the
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parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
in Seaford, East Sussex, England. It has a congregation of around 200 people, and the current Pastor is Deacon Stephen Sharpe.


Layout

The church is built in the traditional shape of a cross, with four aisles and the altar facing the parishioners at the head. The north aisle is the longest, as it stretches around the side of the altar. The two central aisles are directly facing the altar, whilst the south aisle is facing the lady altar. The south aisle also has the confessional and a library at the back. The church has an organ-loft, which is used when the church becomes very busy. At the front, is a small ashes cemetery and a car park. The church has two entrances, one of which is used regularly and another for special occasions only. The priest's house is connected to the church, as is the parish hall.


History

At the beginning of the 20th century, Seaford had only six Roman Catholics. Shortly after, the Bishop of
Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...
,
Francis Bourne Francis Alphonsus Bourne (1861–1935) was an English prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the fourth Archbishop of Westminster from 1903 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911. Biography Early life Franci ...
, built a chapel dedicated to
St Francis de Sales Francis de Sales, C.O., O.M. (; ; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Savoyard Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Geneva and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the reli ...
, next to his holiday home, which was called Annecy. In 1903, a group of nuns called the Sisters of Providence bought it and turned it into a convent and school. Mass was regularly led by Father Berchmans, but he died suddenly in 1927. The bishop then appointed Fr. Reginald Webb as the first parish priest. As the Catholic population of 100 was now too big for the chapel, they moved to the hall in Annecy School. Numbers continued to rise and in 1935, a new church was founded. It was opened on 12 March 1936. The overall cost was £10,000 and by now, attendance figures had risen to 250. In 1962, Father Webb died and was replaced as parish priest, by Fr William Guinane. In 1970, he lengthened the south aisle and added a north aisle and tower. In 1965, the church became part of the newly formed
Diocese of Arundel and Brighton The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton () is a diocese in southern England covering the counties of Sussex and Surrey (excluding Spelthorne, which is part of the Diocese of Westminster). The diocese was erected on 28 May 1965 by Pop ...
. In 1980, Fr Kenneth McCarthy took over from Fr William Guinane and became the third parish priest. He built a hall and car park, before being replaced in 1990 by Father Chris Benyon, due to ill health. Father Chris Benyon supported musical groups at the church. In 1999, he left the parish and Father Tony Churchill stepped in. In 2004, Annecy school celebrated its centenary, in a service with over 500 people led by Bishop Kerian Conry. Father Niven Richardson replaced Father Tony Churchill as parish priest in 2007. The church is licensed for worship in accordance with the
Places of Worship Registration Act 1855 Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own municipal government * "Place", a type of street or road name ** O ...
and has the registration number 56568.


Parish priests

* Fr Reginald Webb (1927–1962) * Fr William Guinane (1963–1980) * Fr Kenneth McCarthy (1980–1990) * Fr Chris Benyon (1990–1999) * Fr Anthony Churchill (1999–2007) * Fr Niven Richardson (2007–2011) * Fr Paul Jennings (2011–2019 ) *Fr Ian Byrnes (2019-2022) * Deacon Stephen Sharpe (2022-)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seaford, Saint Thomas More Roman Catholic churches in East Sussex Saint Thomas More, Seaford Saint Thomas 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United Kingdom Religious organizations established in 1927