The Bishop of Lancaster has entrusted a beautiful Pugin church in Preston to a traditionalist institute.
The Grade-II listed Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs will be Preston’s second church to be run by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP).
In 2014 the institute was entrusted with the running of the landmark St Walburge’s Church.
The institute is expected to assume responsibility for the second church this autumn, Bishop Michael Campbell of Lancaster said on Sunday.
The move was at the request of Bishop Campbell and in agreement with Mgr Gilles Wach, prior general of the institute, together with the rector of the parish, Canon Adrian Towers. “The English Martyrs is saved from the prospect of closure and is thus secured for the future,” the bishop said.
“The fact that the church will be used each day for prayer and cared for by the institute means it will continue to witness to the faith and mission of the Catholic Church in Preston for many years to come.”
Canon Amaury Montjean said the institute was “deeply grateful” to the bishop, adding: “Our entire institute family is very glad for this new apostolate.”
In his pastoral letter, Bishop Campbell said the institute was “inundated with similar requests from bishops across the world and has the proven skill, aptitude and record of expertise in the care of large and historic churches”.
The arrangement will enable the church to be open every day, and become a shrine to the English Martyrs. It will specifically provide for the celebration of Mass and other sacraments in the Extraordinary Form. The English Martyrs church remains part of St John XXIII parish and one of its priests will celebrate an Ordinary Form Mass in the church, at least for the next 12 months, each Saturday evening.
The ICKSP was founded in 1990. Its motherhouse is in Florence.
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