In May 2005 the following message from Bishop Vincent Malone was read out in all the churches in the Halewood/Hunts Cross and Childwall Valley area:
“To the parishioners of Our Lady of the Assumption, St Cyril, St Gregory, St Paschal Baylon, Holy Family, St Andrew and St Mark, Liverpool.
In recent years the number of priests available to serve in the parishes of the Archdiocese of Liverpool has fallen, while the number of churches to be served remains largely the same. Consequently we are now looking at pastoral areas larger than our former parishes, sometimes to be served by two or more priests working together.
The retirement of Fr Desmond Power after ten years’ service in St Paschal Baylon’s parish (23 years in the diocesan priesthood altogether) is the occasion of reviewing the assignment of clergy in the Childwall Valley area.
Accordingly the Archbishop has asked that from 9th September 2005 Fr Bill Murphy, currently at Our Lady of the Assumption, with Fr Joseph Feeley, currently at St Andrew’s, together serve the four parishes of Our Lady of the Assumption, St Gregory, St Cyril and St Paschal Baylon. Fr Murphy will continue to live at Our Lady’s and Fr Feeley will live at St Paschal Baylon’s.
At the same time, the recent death of the much loved Fr Richard Colbert of St Mark’s requires that from 9th September 2005, Fr Vincent McShane of Holy Family parish, Halewood will no longer attend St Gregory’s church, but will accept the additional responsibility of serving St Andrew’s and St Mark’s parishes. He will be assisted in this by the part-time services of another priest yet to be named.
New arrangements of this kind affect not only the priests but also all the people with whom they try to serve the Lord. It is for this reason that these changes are being announced now, four months before they will come into effect, so that all may make the necessary adjustments to their expectations and in their approach to covering between them all the necessary duties of parish life.
Priests and people will want, I am sure, to share with the bishops of the archdiocese the exercise of their different responsibilities for celebrating and proclaiming God’s Good News in all our parishes. May the Lord bless us all in the endeavour."
+Vincent Malone Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool
In the weeks following this announcement Fr Vin celebrated Mass and preached at all Masses in the three churches he was to become responsible for. Parish Open Meetings were held at each site and in the months following a period of consultation took place.
In September 2005 Carolyn Curtis was appointed Parish Administrator and the Parish Office and Presbytery were set up at St Mark’s as this was the largest place to combine three previous offices. September 2005 also saw the arrival of Fr Leonard Biachi from the diocese of Isseleuku in Nigeria to undertake studies at Liverpool University and to assist Fr McShane. He was to stay with us, residing at Holy Family presbytery until December 2006, when he returned to Nigeria to lecture in the seminary. Fr Leonard’s presence was invaluable as Fr McShane was admitted to hospital in May 2006 and was only able to return to the parish in the November. The three former parishes of St Andrew, St Mark and Holy Family were formally suppressed on December 31st 2005. The new parish came into being on January 1st 2006.
The setting up of the new parish was marked by three events. On Wednesday January 4th Archbishop Kelly came to celebrate a Holy Hour with us and then met with the Parish Council afterwards. On the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th Bishop Tom Williams came to celebrate Mass for the staff, governors and junior children of our three schools and in the evening Bishop Malone came to celebrate Mass during which Fr Vincent McShane was Inducted as the first Parish Priest of the new parish of St John Vianney.
On the first weekend in June 2007 Archbishop Kelly made a Pastoral Visitation to the parish. He celebrated and preached at all the week-end Masses and held an open meeting with parishioners. This was followed by a visit to each of our three schools by Bishop Tom Williams. For the past two years Bishop Malone has joined us to celebrate the feast of St John Vianney in early August.
In September 2007 Sr Catherine Farrelly joined the parish team. She is a member of the Daughters of St Vincent De Paul, who are already well established at St Gregory’s, Netherley, Christopher Grange and the Cathedral. She too is a Pastoral Assistant to Fr Vin.
No History can easily record the many sacrifices, and many people, individuals, groups and societies involved in the forming of three parishes. The fundraising that took place to provide churches, schools, presbyteries and clubs What can be said is that what they have achieved we have to build upon. This is a new start and we have to provide, realistically, for the future, while giving thanks to God for those who came before us and praying for those who will come after us.
(The above was compiled with contributions from information held in the archdiocesan archives; past editions of The Catholic Pictorial; parish and school records and recent parish Newsletters; “Riding the Changes” by Owen Eva to commemorate the 150th anniversary of St Nicholas’ church; booklet produced by the late Fr R Colbert; A History of St Andrew’s prepared by Patricia Dunmore for the Golden Jubilee in 2002; Sally and Jim Moore and John Ireland)
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