St Winefride's Church (also known as St Winifred's Church or St Winefred's Church) is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Holywell, Flintshire. It was founded by the Society of Jesus and was until recently the first church in the United Kingdom to be administered by the Vocationist Fathers now since departed as the parish returns into diocesan hands. It is Grade II listed building.[1] It was the first church the Jesuits built in Wales.
| St Winefride's Church | |
|---|---|
 Doorway to church | |
 | |
| 53°16′31″N 3°13′22″W / 53.275301°N 3.222896°W | |
| Location | Holywell, Flintshire |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Society of Jesus |
| Dedication | St Winefride |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 19 August 1991 |
| Architect(s) | Joseph John Scoles[1] |
| Groundbreaking | 1832[1] |
| Administration | |
| Province | Cardiff |
| Diocese | Wrexham |
| Deanery | Flint |
History
editIt was founded by the Jesuits in 1832.[1] They went on to establish St Beuno's College in 1848. From the college they also founded other churches such as Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Rhyl and Our Lady of Ransom and the Holy Souls Church in Llandrindod Wells.
By the 1930s they handed over the church to the Diocese of Wrexham. On 19 August 1991, the church was designated a Grade II listed building.[1]
On 6 April 2008, the Bishop of Wrexham, Edwin Regan, invited the Vocationist Fathers to the church who until 24th April 2023 administered the parish.[2] it has now reverted back to a diocesan priest administration as before.
Shrines
editHolywell
editWithin the parish is one of the Seven Wonders of Wales, St Winefride's Well, a shrine and site of pilgrimage. The shrine and relics are in the care of the church.
Pantasaph
editClose to the parish, near Holywell, is the National Shrine of St Pio and St David's Church in the village of Pantasaph. It was founded in 1852, by the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.[3]
Parish
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The Vocationist Fathers also serve the Sacred Heart church in Hawarden. The church was founded by the Diocese of Wrexham and was built in the late twentieth century. It has one Sunday Mass at 10:30am.[4]
St Winefride's has three Sunday Masses, one at 6:00pm on Saturday evening in the church, and at 9:30am and 5pm on Sunday in the chapel of St Winefride's Well. There are weekday Masses at 9:30am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and at 7:00pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
Stained glass
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References
edit- ^ a b c d e British listed buildings retrieved 20 October 2013
- ^ United Kingdom from Vocationist Fathers retrieved 13 March 2014
- ^ Pantasaph.co.uk Archived 8 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 13 March 2014
- ^ Parish from SacredHeartCatholicChurchHawarden.org retrieved 10 September 2021
External links
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Media related to St Winefride's Church, Holywell at Wikimedia Commons- St Winefride's Church Main Website
- Vocationist Fathers UK site
- St Winefride's Well site
- Pantasaph Franciscan Friary site Archived 8 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Artwork at St Winefride's Church, Holywell
