Wednesday, 22 February 2012

His Worship, the Mayor of Bolton, and the Lady Mayoress, Councillor Noel Spencer MBE and Mrs Alice Spencer, recently honoured the parish of Saint Edmund and Saint Patrick, Bolton with a visit, attending the 10am Mass at Saint Edmund’s. Last year, the parish, containing two of Bolton’s oldest and best-known Catholic Churches, celebrated its 150th Anniversary.

Founded in 1861 as two separate parishes – Saint Edmund’s Church is in Saint Edmund Street and Saint Patrick’s Church is in Great Moor Street  – the churches are now part of the one parish of Saint Edmund & Saint Patrick. Daily services, including Sunday Mass, are, however, still celebrated in each church.

It was a joyous occasion and in the presence of a packed church, the Mayor and Mayoress were warmly welcomed by the Parish priest, Father Gerard Haugh. At the end of Mass, they were each presented by one of our young parishioners, 5-years old Elliott Minshall, with a special souvenir booklet, containing memories, photographs and the history of the parish.

After Mass, the Mayor and Mayoress took the opportunity to meet and greet as many parishioners as possible, young and old alike, before retiring to the presbytery for morning coffee and biscuits.

Councillor Spencer is a former pupil of Saint Peter & Saint Paul’s school, which is now part of Saint Edmund and Saint Patrick’s Parish.

Visit the Gallery for some photographs.