Saint Kentigern's Parish & Manchester

The parish of Saint Kentigern is situated in the south suburb of Manchester called Fallowfield, and in the Catholic Diocese of Salford. Our Bishop is the Rt Rev. Terence J. Brain and our parish priest is Father Tom Connolly.

The Parish comprises about 3,900 souls. Most of the housing was built before the last war and was called the Wilbraham Estate & managed by the City of Manchester.

It began in 1926 in a tin hut on the site of what is now Manchester City F.C.'s Training ground on Yew Tree Road. After the First World War it was government policy to build a "land fit for heroes" and our Parish was built on fallow fields.

The numbers moving into the new housing meant that the established parishes would not be able to cope, hence Saint Kentigern's was established. The new Church was opened by Father Mortimer Daly in 1938 with Christmas Midnight Mass. It was adapted for the Liturgy of the second Vatican Council by Father Connolly with a permanent stone Altar, Ambo, Font and Canopy and was consecrated by the Bishop on 28th September 1998.

Since the 1950s many new parishioners moved into the area who originated from the West of Ireland - mostly Mayo, Galway, Roscommon and Clare. This transformed the numbers and caused the need for a new school to be built.

Mr Tim Driscoll was the new Head and the parish, which had shared a Primary School with St Edward's Parish, began to have a school of its own in Bethnall Drive on the site of and old small-holding pig farm. A social centre was built and many folk got placed in jobs as they arrived from Ireland by "seeing a man at St Kent's Club". It still serves as a social focus for the parish.

Our school has approximately 500 pupils making it the largest primary school in the diocese and the Headteacher is Mr Paul Jackson. The Latest Statistics show St. Kentigern's school exceeding both the national and Manchester averages. The school also has its own website.

The parish thrives with a Youth Club, RCIA, Readers, Special Ministers of the Eucharist and many catechetical courses for those having their children baptised and preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage, Confession and First Holy Communion and Confirmation.

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.