Gallery

ST PATRICK'S MAY PROCESSION AND CROWNING

ST JOHN'S MAY PROCESSION AND CROWNING 2024

ST PATRICK'S FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

ST MARY & ST JOHN'S FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2024

CHRISM MASS 2024

St John's Children's Liturgy Group Lenten Reflection 2024

FIRST PARISH WALK OF 2024 - HAIGH HALL CIRCULAR

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS AT ST JOHN'S 2023

ST JOHN'S COMMUNITY CELEBRATION JULY 2023

CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION AND BENEDICTION
AT ST JOHN'S

PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO ST WILLIAM'S SHRINE, YORK

A few photographs from our Day Pilgrimage to York in honour of our Parish Patronal Saint whose feast day was celebrated a two days previous. Fr O'Shea led us in prayer at the Shrine of St William of York, which is on the Crypt of the Minster. We spent time in York, many of us visiting St Margaret Clitherow's Shrine in the Shambles, and the Oratory of York. Our day ended with Evensong at the Minster and a fish and chip supper before returning home!

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2023 AT ST PATRICK'S

CORONATION GARDEN PARTY AT ST PATRICK'S

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2023 AT ST JOHN'S

LENT, THE TRIDUUM AND EASTER IN THE PARISH

ST PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATIONS 2023

PARISH WALKS TO DARWEN TOWER 2022/23

PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO ROME 2022

In October 2022, a group of parishioners travelled to Rome on pilgrimage. Highlights of the trip included attending the celebration of Holy Mass in a number of notable Roman locations such as, Basilica of St. John Lateran, the catacombs of St. Callixtus, the Venerable English College and at the tomb of St. John Paul II, St. Peter’s. Guided tours of the Vatican museum and basilicas of St. Mary Major and St. Paul’s Outside the Walls were also very memorable parts of the trip.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM 2022

A selection of photos - Thank you, we raised £7400 (with GiftAid) for the Hospice

QUARAT 'ORE - ST PATRICK'S 2021

WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGE - AUGUST 2021

Christmas at St John's and St Patrick's 2020

ST. JOHN’S CHURCH FEATURED IN NEW BOOK:

ST Elena Curti, writer and assistant editor of the Tablet, will have her book ‘Fifty Catholic Churches To See Before You Die’ published on the 29th September. Describing the architecture of Westminster Cathedral, the poet John Betjeman wrote of being “Surprised by Joy”. Elena Curti has been surprised by the same joy as she recommends her favourite fifty churches. Readers will be moved by the history, the sacrifice, the architecture and artefacts contained within these sacred spaces. All who visit these churches, and all who read this seminal book, will surely be reminded of the words of T. S. Eliot on visiting the church in the Huntingdonshire village of Little Gidding:

You are not here to verify,
Instruct yourself, or inform curiosity,
Or carry report. You are here to kneel
Where prayer has been valid.
(Little Gidding 1:43-46)

One of the fifty churches is our very own St John’s! If you would like to pre-order this book you can do so through Gracewing Publishers – click the button for the link:

pre-order book

Honouring Our Lady at St John's
A short video showing how we have honoured the Mother of God over the years at St John's, set to Hail Queen of Heaven

The Parish: Film about St Patrick's

Two years ago, a meeting was held between the Archdiocese of Liverpool and St Patrick’s Parishioners regarding the proposed closure of St Patrick’s Church. Thankfully, our beautiful church was allowed to remain an active place of worship and has subsequently enjoyed a significant revival.
Lauren O’Bern Film and Photography produced a short film about St Patrick’s and its importance to the community. To commemorate that remarkable evening, with Lauren’s permission, we have uploaded her film to our website. To watch, please click the image below. The password is ‘Pats2018’ (please note the capital ‘P’).

St Patrick, pray for us.

Password: Pats2018

During Lent we would normally be able to meet together to share the devotion of the Stations of the Cross in our churches. This year, due to ongoing restrictions, we have produced two videos to help you pray the Stations from your own home. Each video uses images from each church in our parish. Fr. O'Shea leads us in the opening and closing prayers, whilst parishioners lead the Stations, using the St Alphonsus Liguori version.

St William's War Memorial finds a new home

This beautiful War Memorial - which was recently retrieved from the former church of St William, Ince - today found a permanent home in St Patrick’s Church. It is now in the Bereavement Chapel at the back of church - eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord.

News from St Patrick's May 2019

As repairs begin on the roof at St. Patrick's, the scaffolding needed to carry the work doesn't deter the celebrations that need to take place. Congratulations to those children who made their First Holy Communion and took part in the beautiful procession and crowning of Our lady.

Quarant'ore 2019

Holy Week and Easter 2019

The Feast of St Patrick 2019

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Saturday 2nd February 2019: The Presentation of the Lord - Candlemas. Fr O’Shea invited all who attended this Mass at St. Patrick's to take their blessed candles with them so that they can go out and spread the light of Christ in their lives. A beautiful celebration!

St Patrick's Walking Day DVD

St Patrick's Walking Days DVDs will be on sale, at the back of church, after Mass. They contain footage of Walking Days from our history. Some of our older parishioners may spot themselves or family members within the footage. The cost of a DVD is £5, all proceeds going to the St Patrick’s Church Refurbishment Fund.

Honouring those who have died

This morning the Royal British Legion laid a poppy wreath at the War Memorial at the end of the Avenue on Standishgate. Later, before Holy Mass, another wreath was laid by the parishioners of St. John's led by Fr O'Shea. At the end of Mass the refurbished War Memorial was blest and the names and addresses of those whom it remembers were read out:

John William ASHTON of Millgate, Wigan. Killed in action 17th January 1917.
William BARON of Mesnes Park Terrace, Wigan. Died of wounds 19th October 1917, aged 32.
Matthew Ernest BARON of Mesnes Park Terrace, Wigan. Killed in action 7th August 1915, aged 22.
Thomas BLACKBURN of Linney Street, Wigan. Killed in action 27th November 1917, aged 23.
J BRIERLEY of Wigan. Killed in action.
Thomas CROOK of Charles Street, Wigan. Killed in action 18th September 1918.
James CULKIN of Shaw Street, Wigan. Killed in action 22nd October 1917.
James DAVIES of Silver Street, Wigan. Killed in action, aged 36. *
James DAVIES of Douglas Road, Wigan. Killed in action. *
John Bannister DAVIES of Widdrington Road, Wigan. Killed in action 12th October 1916, aged 29.
Alfred DICKINSON of Bolton Street, Scholes, Wigan. Killed in action 1st July 1916, aged 32.
William DICKINSON of Bolton Street, Scholes, Wigan. Killed in action 25th June 1917, aged 19.
Cecil GREENWOOD of Hill Street, Wigan. Killed in action 3rd October 1918, aged 20.
Alexander L JORDAN of Every Street, Wigan. Died in Mesopotamia 4th August 1917, aged 29.
Joseph JORDAN of Every Street, Wigan. Died of wounds 13th October 1918, aged 26.
Eugene KELLY of Springfield Street, Wigan. Killed in Gallipoli, aged 20. *
Edward KELLY of Dawber Terrace, Wigan. Killed in Action. *
Aloysius LAITHWAITE of Brookhouse Street, Wigan. Killed in action 9th April 1917.
William LOWE of Bishopgate, Wigan. Killed in action 20th August 1918.
Thomas Barry MALONEY of Poolstock, Wigan. Killed in action 31st July 1917, aged 33.
Thomas MAYOR of Wigan. Killed in action 31st July 1917.
Thomas Henderson Aloysius O’DONAHUE of Wigan Lane. Killed in action 20th April 1917.
John Oswald PRIOR of Wrightington Bar, Wigan. Killed in action 5th April 1918, aged 20.
William J ROOCROFT of Swinley Road, Wigan. Killed in action 24th July 1918, aged 33.
George WILSON of Freckleton Street, Wigan. Killed in action 9th April 1918, aged 42.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

We can be all but certain that the young St Patrick’s boys in this photograph from 1898 would have fought, and more than likely perished, in the Great War.
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

We also remember today our very own Victoria Cross Recipient, Lance Corporal Thomas Woodcock, who was killed in action in March 1918.
Today, before Holy Mass at St. Patrick's, his granddaughter, Mrs Veronica Ashton, placed this memorial wreath and tribute on the altar.
May he rest in peace.

Synod 2020

It's great to see the young people of Wigan in St John's Church on the Synod 2020 Website!
Click on the image to find out more about the Synod:

The Parish - A film about St. Patrick's

'The Parish: A Film About St Patrick's' is a 2018 documentary film directed by Lauren O'Bern, in association with Liverpool John Moores University.

This film is a celebration of St Patrick's and its parishioners. It documents the revival of the church over the past year, featuring footage from key masses, local archives and community events, with narration from various churchgoers, all of whom felt their faith strengthen in the face of closure.

If you would like to see the film, screenings will take place in the presbytery at St Patrick's after mass on SUNDAY, 4TH NOVEMBER at 10:30AM and TUESDAY, 6TH NOVEMBER at 8:30PM. All ages welcome. We hope to see you there!