THE
P RTAL
May 2018
Page 12
Revival in north Manchester
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane visit the Ordinariate
in the New Moston district of Manchester
E
ach month, we try and visit one of the Ordinariate Groups in the UK. In their own way, they
are all enjoyable. We are privileged to meet some lovely people and to hear their stories, whether they be
cradle Catholics or Ordinariate members.
This month we have been in Lancashire. It
was a profitable visit. On the Sunday morning
we went to the New Moston district of
Manchester to meet the Ordinariate Group
at St Margaret Mary. The group has recently
moved there together with their priest Fr
Andrew Starkie, his wife Rosalind and their
children. They are a lovely and close family,
and we are always at home in their company.
The church building at St Margaret
Mary is a modern construction, but
unlike many such edifices, it looks like
a church!
come. This is all good as far as Christianity
is concerned: to be united in this way is
heading in the right direction. This is just
amazing, and it works!”
Sandra Modric
Paul Savage is a retired warehouse
manager. He too came from St Joseph’s and
St Gabriel’s. He told us, “Here people have
been so welcoming, although I must say, Fr
Paul at St Joseph’s was great too.”
Elizabeth Stafford is a manager in
plant and machinery. A cradle Catholic,
she attends St Margaret Mary, but still
goes to St Joseph’s. She has enrolled as
Sung Mass was according to Divine
a Friend of the Ordinariate. “It reminds
Worship. It was beautiful. There were
me of when I was a child. Coming to
some eighty to ninety folk present. The Fr Andrew and Rosalind Starkie Mass and Holy Communion. I feel as
vast majority of them seemed to be in
if I have been to Mass when I come to
tune with the worship and the rite.
Divine Worship. The sacrificial aspect of
the Mass as well as the communal meal.”
After Mass we joined the congregation
for some tea, coffee and biscuits. Sandra
Julie Hembrough told us, “I am known
Modric is a retired legal secretary, with
as ‘the animal woman’”. Indeed, she has
a son and three grandchildren. She was
a passion for animals. She continued,
in Westminster Cathedral when the
“St Margaret Mary is my church. I went
three Anglican Bishops were ordained
to school here. Then I lived abroad in
Catholic Priests. She was a member of the
Switzerland and Germany. I have been back
Paul Savage
congregation of CofE church St Gabriel,
since 1999. The Ordinariate is wonderful.
with Fr Andrew, then at the Catholic church
They have brought a happy atmosphere with
of St Joseph’s Heywood. She moved to St
them. I like having a family in the Presbytery.
Margaret Mary with the Ordinariate Group.
I like Divine Worship because it is more
sacred. I am just an ordinary person, and I
Her comment on the move was, “It has
come to Mass to see God. A quick Mass is
been unbelievably good. I never thought
OK, but I like more. There are lots of ideas
the transition would be so seamless. It is not
here now. It is all positive.”
‘them’ and ‘us’, it is just ‘us’.” As to Divine
Worship, she said most of the people at
Steve O’Connor is a retired RS teacher. He
Julie Hembrough
St Margaret Mary thought, “Well this is
taught at local schools, all diocesan ones,
different!”
for over thirty years. “I am a cradle Catholic. I used to
attend St Chad’s, the Oratory Church. It is traditional.
Fr Andrew had explained that the rite is proper, I go to Mass every day. My wife came here. She came
a proper Catholic rite. “Some have come out of home and said the priest had three churches. Then, the
curiosity,” she explained, “but today’s numbers are week before Lent she said that she had something for
normal, although we do have a few more when they all me. She brandished the bulletin at me, and said that