OUR LADY'S PARISH, ACOMB & ST. JOSEPH'S, GREEN HAMMERTON
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History of Our Parish

Brief sketch

This is a brief sketch of our parish's history. Further details can be found in a booklet covering the years 1995-2005.

In the late 1800s, Acomb was a village on the outskirts of York. With industrialisation the city spread, with Acomb becoming a suburb of York in 1937.

Catholics in the area attended English Martyrs Church on Dalton Terrace, but it was clear that Acomb's growth necessitated a new parish, a hope delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Since the Catholic community prioritised the education of its children, the first Masses of a fledgling parish were celebrated in a primary school in Front Street from 1941. This Mass centre was served by the priests from English Martyrs Church, and for over a decade parishioners raised money for a new church building in Acomb.

In 1954 the parish of Our Lady's, Acomb, was established, with Father Edward Ward its first priest. In February that year the foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Leeds (Acomb was in his diocese at that time), the Right Reverend John Carmel Heenan (who would go on to become Cardinal Heenan, Archbishop of Westminster).

Though the scarsity of building supplies after the war meant that ambitious plans had to be curtailed, on 25th March 1955 (feast of The Annunciation), the present church was opened, and the parish house a few months later.

In 1956 Green Hamerton became part of Our Lady's parish, extending its area to nearly 200 square miles.

​In the 1960s Our Lady's was reordered to follow the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

In 1982 the parish was transferred from Leeds to Middlesbrough Diocese.

In 2015 the pastoral care of the parish was entrusted by the Bishop of Middlesbrough to the British Province of Carmelites.

Clergy of the parish

Parish priests
Father Edward Ward
1954 - 1958
Father Leo Walsh
1958- 1963
Father Tom Maudslay
1963 - 1969
Father Patrick Kelly
1969 - 1977
Father Anthony Wilkinson
1977 - 1984
Father Michael Ryan
1984 - 1999
Father Patrick Smith
1999 - 2013
Father John Lumley
2013 - 2014
Father Kevin Melody, O.Carm.
2015- 2017
Father Antony Lester
2017 -
Assistant priests and other pastoral support
Father Dermot O'Connor
1956 -1958
Father Philip Kelly
1958 - 1963
​Father John Murphy
1963 - 1970
​Father Kevin Thornton
1970 - 1976
​Father Tony Wilson
1976 - 1979
​Father John Berry
1980 - 1982
​Father Gerry Dasey
1982 - 1985
​Father Jerry Twomey
1985 - 1989
Father Eamon Kellegher
1989 - 1990
​Father Terry Dougherty
1990
​Father Bill East
1994 - 2000
Father Gerard Walsh, O.Carm.
2015 - 2017
Deacons
Reverend Peter Warren
2014 -
Mass times
newsletter
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© Parish of Our Lady's 2020
Our Lady's Church Parish House, Cornlands Road, Acomb, York, YO24 3DX   Tel. 01904 791242
​
A Parish of
​The Diocese of Middlesbrough
Registered Charity​ 233748
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Year of Saint Joseph
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  • Welcome
    • Our Welcome Ethos
    • Witamy wszystkich
    • Coronavirus Updates >
      • Recovering public worship
      • Coronavirus (Covid-19) Provisions
      • Coronavirus (Covid-19) Resources
      • Domestic abuse
      • Live-streaming
      • Have a candle lit
      • Virtual Coffee
  • Our Parish
    • Our Lady's Church
    • St Joseph's Church
    • Worship Times
    • Parish Pastoral Team
    • Parish AGM
    • Primary School
    • Religious Life >
      • The Sisters of Mercy
      • The Poor Clares
      • The Carmelites
    • Middlesbrough Diocese
    • Our Neighbours
    • Solidarity with the poor & marginalised
    • Other Community Groups >
      • Carmelite Spirituality Group
      • Polish Community / ​Polska Wspólnota
      • In Harmony Ladies' Choir
      • Keep Fit Group
      • Pensioners' Group
      • Rainbows & Brownies
      • York College
      • York Irish Association
    • History of Our Parish
    • Safeguarding
    • Support the parish >
      • Donate to the parish
      • 50/50 Club
    • Roof Appeal
  • Parish Groups
    • Parish Pastoral Council
    • RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
    • Social Volunteering Project (SVP)
    • CAFOD
    • Care for our Common Home
    • Peru Project
    • Liturgy >
      • Altar Servers
      • Children's Liturgy & Crèche
      • Music
    • Monday Mindfulness
    • Youth Group
    • Life Ascending
    • Other groups in the parish
  • Our Faith
    • Our Catholic-Christian Faith
    • The Sacraments >
      • Baptism Programme
      • First Holy Communion Programme
      • Confirmation Programme
    • Dying, Funerals & Bereavement
    • Prayer
    • The God Who Speaks
    • Pope Francis
    • Year of Saint Joseph
  • Newsletter
  • Calendar
  • Contact