St Peter and Paul's Catholic Church (New Brighton)

St Peter And Paul's Catholic Church is a Grade II listed Church in Atherton Street, New Brighton, Wirral, England. It has a green dome, from which it has given gained the name "The Dome of Home" from local people. The origins of this nickname date back to the mid c.20, when sailors would recognise they were close to Merseyside when they could see the Church from the River Mersey.

Origins of the Church

The church was founded by a priest called Father Tom Mullins. Born in Ireland, he studied for Priesthood in Lisbon, Portugal. When Father Tom got back to the Wirral, he was serving at a church (now demolished) in Hope Street. He went on to pursue his dream of constructing the church. When construction was finished New Brighton was becoming a very popular resort. The church opened in 1935.

Serving Priests

1. Fr Tom Mullins 1935-1945
2. Mgr Canon Maurice Curran V.G 1945-1960
3. Father John Quinn (1960–1983)
4. Father Joseph Prendiville 1983
5. Father (later canon) Robert Fallon 1983-1990
6. Father Anthony Myers 1990-1996
7. Father Michael Wentworth 1996- 2006
8. Father John Feeney 2006–2008 (church closed)
9. Canon Oliver Meney 2011-

In addition, a retired Canon, William Briscoe O.B.E was in residence from 1986-2001.

The Present

In 2006, when Father Wentworth retired, Father Feeney was welcomed as the new Parish Priest. Father Feeney had a job of looking after three parishes, the others being English Martyrs and Our Lady of Lourdes. Together, all three churches united in becoming the North Wallasey Catholic Community.

In 2008, the church was closed by a decision of the local diocese. The parishioners were relocated to another church, about a five minute walk away. This church is called All Saints, and is owned by the Anglican community.

(March 2011: All Saints is to close its doors later this year due to lack of funds for its upkeep (Source, Wallasey News March 23 2011))

March 2011: The following was published in the Wirral Globe

Wallasey's landmark church will re-open 12:52pm Thursday 24th February 2011

WIRRAL parishioners are looking forward to returning to their “spiritual home” as a local church re-opens its doors.

And a "community of priests" is being considered with the aim of forming a foundation to ensure the church's future is secure.

Ss Peter and Paul’s, New Brighton, held its last service in August, 2008, to the anger and upset of church-goers who had been fighting to save the listed building.

But now - after almost three years of being left empty - weekly masses in the day chapel have been planned from next Friday.

And although the main church has yet to re-open fully, campaign leader Cath Nelson, said it is a step in the right direction and she is confident Ss Peter and Paul’s will be back full-time.

She said: “It is fantastic that we have come this far to have services being held in the day chapel again. I believe it is absolutely likely that the full church will re-open as soon as all the necessary repairs are carried out.

“Throughout the campaign, I have had tremendous support from the church committee and the congregation.

"These masses mean our local people will be back in their spiritual home once more but it should never have been closed anyway. We have achieved something that is amazing and everybody is delighted.”

The "Dome from Home" - the name given by returning sailors to the iconic church – was shut by the Diocese of Shrewsbury due to falling congregation numbers.

But campaigners from SOUL –Save Our Unique Landmark – vowed to fight on and even took the case to the Vatican.

And now they are hoping the church will be restored and ready to resume full services.

New Brighton councillor Tony Pritchard said the move to host weekly masses was “welcomed” by all those involved.

Cllr Pritchard said: “We fully welcome the decision to open the day chapel but there is still a lot of work to be done and talks to be had about the future of the church. "The main thing is that we want to thank all the people who supported us and contributed towards the campaign.”

A spokesman for the diocese said: “Following a decree of January 10 to merge the parishes of Ss Peter and Paul, New Brighton, and the English Martyrs parish, Wallasey Village, we can confirm that Father Philip Moor will be inducted as the parish priest of the new parish of The Holy Apostles and Martyrs on Tuesday March 1.

“The diocese can also confirm that one weekday Mass each week will be celebrated in the Day Chapel in the Church of Ss Peter and Paul, beginning from Friday March 4. This is solely on the personal initiative of the Rt Rev Mark Davies, the Bishop of Shrewsbury.

“The intentions of the Bishop were announced to the faithful of the two parishes in a letter of December 12 in which he reassured them of his wish to preserve the Church of Ss Peter and Paul.

“Bishop Davies has entered into discussions with English Heritage and the Church’s Patrimony Committee and is also exploring the possibility of a community of priests establishing a foundation at Ss Peter and Paul’s to promote Eucharistic devotion and to work for the restoration of the building.”

2009 and the future

The Diocese of Shrewsbury has faced an ultimatum. Wirral Borough Council have given them time to repaire the church or they will take action into their own hands and bill the diocese for the repairs.

The following artical was published in the Wirral Globe

Religious order bids to revive Wirral's 'Dome from Home' church

4:42pm Monday 14th March 2011

By Stephanie Cureton

A LANDMARK Wirral church could re-open fully if plans from a religious order are given the go-ahead.

SS Peter and Paul’s in Wallasey was shut by the Diocese of Shrewsbury in August 2008 due to falling congregation numbers.

The church’s day chapel recently opened its doors once more for weekly mass after a massive campaign from parishioners.

But the future of the main church building was still uncertain until the Institute of the Christ the King expressed an interest in the site.

The order, which has around 70 priests, has a track record of restoring churches and could provide much-needed investment for the locally-named “Dome from Home.”

Rt Rev Mark Davies, Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury, said: “I welcome the interest shown by the Institute of Christ the King in establishing a new foundation in the diocese and working for the restoration of the church of Ss Peter and Paul.

"I look forward to exploring the practicalities of such a foundation providing mass for the faithful attached to the Extraordinary Form and the possibility of the church becoming a centre for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in which all can share.”

Priests of the Institute of Christ the King celebrate mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, which is primarily conducted in Latin.

The Extraordinary Form is celebrated each week at Sacred Heart Church, Moreton, by a visiting priest from the Institute.

Bishop Davies will also be considering provision for the ordinary form of the mass in English.

Monsignor Gilles Wach, the French founder and superior general of the Institute, will visit the historic church after Easter and will hold direct talks with the bishop.

If successful, SS Peter and Paul’s will become the first Catholic church in Britain to be run by the Institute.

Canon William Hudson, a spokesman for the Institute of Christ the King, said: “We are in the process of discussing this with Bishop Davies.

"It is a very serious proposition and while there are a number of issues that need to be addressed - notably financial - we are sure that the faithful will be just as generous as when the church was built.

"Our order has considerable experience in re-opening churches in very similar circumstances to Ss Peter and Paul.

"I am confident that with the guidance of the bishop, a solution can be found to the benefit of the Catholic community at large.”

On the 15th October 2011 Canon Oliver Meney and another member of the Institute of Christ the King took up residence in the fully renovated presbytery. Daily Mass is now offered in the day chapel at 9 am- with other devotions and activities. Plans are going ahead for the re-opening of the main church.

References

• My Beloved Church, Author: June Hargreaves^{[citation needed]}

Wirral Globe

Wallasey News