St Oswald's Church is a Roman Catholic church in the Padgate suburb of Warrington, Cheshire, England. The parish was founded by Benedictine monks from Ampleforth Abbey, and it is now served by clergy from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool.
History
The parish was established from St Mary's Church, Warrington by Fr. Thomas Austin Hind O.S.B, a Warringtonian by birth, who is credited with conceiving the idea to build the church and to have chosen the dedication to St Oswald of Northumbria. On 1 July 1924, Archbishop Keating of Liverpool give permission for the formation of this, the fourth Benedictine parish in Warrington: the others being St. Albans (1755); St.Mary's (1877) and St. Benedict's (1902). The parish was served by the clergy of St Mary's Church, Warrington until it became an independent parish on 24 July 1929.Plumb, Brian (1979) St Oswald's Warrington
The last Benedictine Parish Priest was Fr Harold Cyprian Broomfield O.S.B as the Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey surrendered the parish to the Archbishop of Liverpool on 10 September 1962. From 2013, following the death of Canon William Redmond, the parish was served by the parish priest of St Benedict's Church, Warrington."Plumb" On 1 May 2018, St.Oswald's became part of one new combined parish called Blessed James Bell which also incorporates the former parishes of St Mary's and St Benedict's in Warrington.
Parish Priests
Parish Priest Tenure Fr Thomas Austin Hind O.S.B 1929-1935 Fr Reginald Denis Marshall O.S.B 1935-1942 Fr Edmund Benedict Milburn O.S.B 1942-1946 Fr Norman Francis Geldert O.S.B 1946-1955 Fr Harold Cyprian Broomfield O.S.B 1955-1962 After the withdrawal of Ampleforth Abbey Fr Denis Ryan 1962-1974 Fr Owen O'Sullivan 1974-1980 Fr James Murray 1980-1998 Fr Charles E. Canning 1998-2011 Canon William Redmond 2011-2013 Monsignor John Devine O.B.E 2013-2015 Fr David Heywood 2015-
School and Convent
In 1929 the Sisters of the Cross and Passion, part of the Passionist family, moved from Buttermarket Street in Warrington to Bruche Hall close to the church. A school, with a capacity for 200 children, was opened on 1 September 1931 which was staffed by the sisters and lay teachers. In 1971, a purpose built Convent was built and the old house demolished.
Gallery
References
External links
Archdiocese of Liverpool: Warrington St Oswald King and Martyr