Manchester Archdeaconry New Chaplain

Manchester Archdeaconry New Chaplain


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Published: 05 March 2013

‘’ere, dad, some potty women are giving freebies and a bowl of soup out at uni” shouted my son. “Somefink like mothers united or somefink.” It was then that I knew that my son had met the Mother’s Union at Manchester University Fresher’s Week. It wasn’t the first time I had come across the MU being a priest in the Church of England exposes one to such people and, of course, I had Sandra and Lilly as parishioners and fervent advocates for the MU cause.

 

It seemed only natural that a card-carrying Anglo-Catholic with a devotion to Our Blessed Lady, should be asked and I gratefully accepted the chance to become the Manchester Archdeaconry Chaplain.


For those who don’t know me I’m Patrick to my wife; dad or something else to my grown up kids, and many other things to friends but mostly I am known as Father Patrick. I am the priest of the newly restored St Crispin’s, Withington, which is really in Fallowfield. My parishioners, and a lot of M.U. folk have contributed wonderfully to see St Crispin’s reordered and I offer the M.U. an open invitation to come to St Crispin’s whenever they want.


I was ordained deacon at Manchester Cathedral, our Mother church in 1999. I served my curacy at St Elisabeth’s, Reddish before coming to St Crispin’s in 2004.
M.U. events remind me of mini-pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. It is, after all, Our Lady who is the first member of the Church and one who holds us together as a family. It is as we approach Mothering Sunday that we call to mind Mother Church, who like all good mums, teaches, nourishes, and sometimes needs to chastises us. Mothering Sunday reminds us also of Mary, our Lord’s mother who was brave enough to accept God’s request that she became the Mother of Jesus. Only through her brave and free Yes to God could the incarnation have occurred. She among all humans is highly favoured and blessed. It is right that we remember Our Lady and ask her to intercede for all families. And of course it is right to remember our own mothers whether alive or not. It is right we should thank God for them and ask his continual grace to be bestowed upon them as they journey ever close to his presence.

I am honoured to become your chaplain and I will pray for the work of M.U. and ask that you remember me in your prayers too.
By the way, fruit cake and red wine sounds yummy.
Fr Patrick

 Fr Patrick's Commissioning will take place on Sunday 7th April at St. Crispins, at 6.30pm.  All Welcome.


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