St Mary's Church, Holyhead

St Mary's Church, Holyhead (or St. Mary Help Of Christians RC Church, Holyhead) is a Roman Catholic church in Holyhead, a large town in Anglesey, north Wales. It is within the Diocese of Wrexham. The church was officially opened on 28 February 1965.

St Mary's Church, Holyhead
St Mary's Help of Christians RC Church
St Mary's Church, Holyhead
LocationHolyhead, Anglesey
CountryWales
DenominationRoman Catholic
WebsiteSt. Mary's Church, Holyhead
History
StatusParish church
Founded28 February 1965
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Wrexham
Clergy
Priest(s)Fr Frank Murray OMI

History and location

St Mary's Church is located between Market Street and Longford Road in Holyhead, the principal port of the north Wales county of Anglesey. It was built to replace a previous Roman Catholic church in Holyhead dedicated to St Mary, which was built in 1860 but could only seat 150 people.[1] By the 1960s, the old church had 1,000 parishioners.[2] The new church, which cost £50,000 and could seat 880 people, was opened in 1965. An extension to the church in 1992 added a church hall and a library.[1] St Mary's is described in a book describing the buildings of north Wales as "a large formal square church"; the authors also noted the copper roof, and the platform upon which the church is raised.[3]

The church is part of Caernarfon Deanery within the Diocese of Wrexham.[4] As of 2013, the parish priest is Father Frank Murray, of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The parish of Holyhead also includes St Therese's Church, Rhosneigr.[5] The pattern of services (as of 2013) is for a celebration of Mass on Sunday morning at 11am (with a vigil Mass on Saturday evening) and Mass every weekday morning preceded by Morning Prayer.[6]

In April 2008, the church was burgled and vandalised. £230 from collection boxes was stolen, a font was damaged, paint was poured into the speaker system, white spirit was poured across banners, and hymn books were damaged. The damage to the church cost £14,239.[7][8]

St Mary's RC School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, situated next to the church, is part of the parish and has links with the church.[9]

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References
  1. Jones, Geraint I. L. (2006). Anglesey Churches. Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. p. 45. ISBN 1845270894.
  2. "Centenary at Holyhead". Catholic Herald. 7 April 1961. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  3. Haslam, Richard; Orbach, Julian; Voelcker, Adam (2009). "Anglesey". Gwynedd. The Buildings of Wales. Yale University Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-300-14169-6.
  4. "Wrexham Diocese: Deaneries". Diocese of Wrexham. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  5. "The Parish of St Mary Help Of Christians, Holyhead in the county of Anglesey". Diocese of Wrexham. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  6. "St. Mary Help Of Christians RC Church". Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Isle of Anglesey. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  7. "Church vandal promises to give up crime and lead a new life". Daily Post (North Wales). 16 May 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  8. "Vandals raid Holyhead church Aids collection". Daily Post (North Wales). 7 April 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  9. "St Mary's Catholic Primary School". Retrieved 15 September 2013.
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