Sunday, 27 June 2010

Fr Kieren Mullarkey and the people of St Peter's Middleton have been keeping a year of celebrations to mark the centenary of the building of the "new church".  During this year the parish have been marking a centenary year in various ways and today marked the culmination of the celebrations.  

The parishioners had everything well planned and even the weather, being one of the most beautiful Sundays of the year, seemed, to all present on Sunday morning at St Peter's, as if it had all been planned.

Bishop Terence joined Fr Kieren and the parishioners of St Peter's for a joyful celebration Mass at 9.30am. The church was full to overflowing with people standing at the back and every place that could be found.  Children from St Peter's school, cubs, scouts, guides and brownies were also amongst the congregation. The community was honoured with the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Alan Godson, and local Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin.

Following the Mass a procession through the streets of Middleton took place.  The procession was led by the altar servers, a pipe band, a brass band, then the children who had recently made their first Holy Communion, children from the school, the scouts, guides, cubs and brownies followed on by all the parishioners.  The procession went though the streets of Middleton with great joy and celebration eventually ending up at St Peter's RC Primary School where a day of fun and activities for all the family had all been organised.