Our Parish
Our story: A Living Heritage of Faith
One Family, Two Present-Day Churches, Three Histories
The story of our parish is uniquely told through three churches in Swinton, Manchester, UK.
The Roman Catholic Parish of Saint Ambrose Barlow, formed in 2020, combined three existing parishes in Swinton and Pendlebury. These were Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Mark, and Saint Charles Borromeo.
Saint Mary
of the Immaculate Conception
Saint Mary’s, the first parish, began in 1847. Catholics from Ireland who had escaped the Irish Potato Famine came to the area to seek work. A small group of them used to take it in turns to meet in one of their houses to hear Mass celebrated by a travelling priest, who usually visited once a month. In 1852 they rented an upper room over an engineering works just off Bolton Road. This was known as Engine Brow, and it served as a church and Sunday school on the site of the present-day Pendlebury Health Centre on Bolton Road. In 1856, with the congregation growing, a new church was built in Swinton Hall Road. There it remained until 1964, when it moved to a new building in Park Street. In January 2019 the church was closed and the building has since been demolished.
Saint Mark,
Pendlebury
The Parish of Saint Mark was founded in 1923 to serve the Catholic faithful in Pendlebury. In those early days, Sunday Masses were celebrated in the nearby Saint Joseph’s School, now demolished. The present Church, built in 1926 on Station Road in a traditional style, was a beacon of hope for the interwar community and represents a deep connection to our long heritage of church architecture.
Saint Charles Borromeo,
Moorside
The Parish at Saint Charles began in 1923. The current Church, a modest and functional building in a modern Romanesque style, was constructed in 1955 to serve the growing post-war community. It stands as a testament to the commitment of the Parish to adapt to the needs of a new world.
Two modern Churches grew from the original Saint Mary’s Parish, each with its own history and character, and together they embody the journey of our faith from the 19th century to the present day.
Our Parish Council Journey
Our parish, though built on a long history, was formally constituted in 2020. Since then, we have embarked on a remarkable journey of transition, renewal, and new beginnings. From the amalgamation of three parishes into one family, to welcoming new leadership and developing our parish properties, our story is one of a community moving forward together in faith.
Parish Formally Constituted
The Parish of Saint Ambrose Barlow was formally constituted from the three former parishes of St. Mary, St. Charles, and St. Mark. Msgr. Paul Smith formed a Lay Leadership Team to support the transition and oversee the amalgamation of all processes into one unified parish.
New Leadership & Beginnings
After Fr. Paul's retirement, we joyfully welcomed our new Parish Priest, Fr. Ernest Attah. In the same year, the Sisters of Evron took up residence in St. Mark's Presbytery, and the difficult but necessary work of demolishing the St. Mary's church and presbytery was completed.
Parish Development & Renewal
Following the sale of St. Mary's land, the reserves generated enabled the parish to address a serious backlog of maintenance and repairs. This also allowed us to develop our de-carbonisation project, including installing solar panels on the parish hall to generate our own energy.
Parish Council Formed
Fr. Ernest proposed and formed a larger parish leadership team, including leaders from other groups. This new Parish Council operates on consensus, with full transparency on finance and property, fulfilling Bishop John's vision for the laity to take more responsibility.
A New Digital Home
Embracing Fr. Ernest's initiative for a missionary parish, we've launched our new digital home. This website serves as a central hub for our community, offering resources, reflections, and new ways to connect with our parish family, extending our mission of faith online.
Be Part of the Story
The ongoing story of our parish isn't just about buildings or clergy—it's about you. We invite every parishioner to help write the next chapter through active participation, prayer, and community service. Your unique gifts are the seeds of our future milestones.
Bringing Our Mission to Life
The leadership structure above exists for one purpose: to support a thriving, unified family. Under the guidance of Fr. Ernest Attah, we worship and serve as one community across both Church sites. This mission extends beyond our doors through our enduring partnership with Catholic education—St. Charles', St. Mark's, and St. Mary’s Primary Schools, alongside St. Ambrose Barlow High School. We are weaving a new chapter in a story defined by the courage of our patron saint and the spirit of our founders.