Mass attendance rises from 12 to 1,200

Archbishop Kevin joined Father Tom Cooper, Parish Priest, Father Philip Glandfield, Assistant Priest, Deacon Paul Milligan and the people of Saint Bartholomew's, Norbury, on Monday, 29th September 2008, to offer Mass in celebration of the centenary of the opening of their church.

The Mass was the highlight of a year's programme of events to mark the centenary, which will culminate on Pentecost Sunday, 2009.

The inaugural Mass on 13th September 1908 was attended by about 12 people and one of the early collections amounted to one shilling - or five pence in today's money!

Today, the congregation has risen to over 1,200. The parish has a fine musical tradition and is known for fostering vocations to the priesthood. Twelve men who have lived and worshipped in the parish have been ordained to the priesthood, three of whom were ordained at Saint Bartholomew's.
 

The church just before the Mass

Servers before the Mass

In the sacristy after Mass

Father Philip Glandfield, Assistant Priest

The church after Mass

Archbishop Kevin meets the people after Mass