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Feast of St Kentigern 2004

St Kentigern’s School and Parish are celebrating their centenary this year. The feast day of their patron is on January 13th.

It is normally a very low-key occasion with the children attending Mass from school. The head teacher, Frances Wygladala, always makes sure that it is a special day for them and there is usually a trip to the theatre or visiting performer entertains the children in school. It is their treat to mark this special feast day.

This year was different. Invitations had been sent far and wide throughout the diocese inviting former clergy members, local deanery priests, former parishioners, pupils and families to join in the celebration of the Mass. They responded well and a 350 strong congregation welcomed the priests, deacons, altar servers and Knight of St Sylvester, John Baldwin from the Sacristy with the hymn “For all the saints”. When the organ began to play, some parishioners spoke of having a lump in their throat as it was such a moving occasion. The voices lifted the roof, spirits were raised and it was a great testament to the witness of faith of all present whose hearts had been touched by this school and parish in one way or another.

Pupils from St Kentigern’s School and St Mary’s Catholic College served on the altar and sung in the choir and there was an informal get-together after the Mass in the Parish Centre giving people the opportunity to catch up with old friends.

There are many events lined up throughout this centenary year including a Flower Festival from June 11th to 13th, a PTFA School Ball in October, a Centenary Quiz for all the parishes of the local deanery and much more. They have even had Granada TV filming 3 programmes of “My Favourite Hymns”, which are due to be shown in the near future.

This parish is proud of its 100 years of praise and worship and welcomes everyone to join them at some point in the year at one of their events.

The words of a prayer written for the centenary Mass are most appropriate: God our Father, you have made your faithful people living stones built as a temple to your glory. We thank you for the gift of your presence among us over this last 100 years. May we continue to worship and praise you in this Parish and become ever more effect instruments of your love in the world.