Church plans centenary celebrations

Apr 24 2008 by Deborah Rees, Glamorgan Gazette

CHURCH-GOERS gathered to mark the centenary of a well-known place of worship.

Catholic Archbishop Peter Smith was among those present to mark 100 years of the Church of Our Lady and St Patrick in Maesteg.

In 1906, with the Presbytery already in place, the foundation stone was laid for the church in Monica Street and, on November 12 1907, it was opened by Bishop Hedley OSB.

The foundation stone for the new school was laid in 1908 and opened in 1909.

Father James Maurus Kelly was appointed as parish priest in 1902 and, on the day the new church was opened, he was appointed a canon.

The Rt Rev Abbot Austin Taylor OSB was the third abbot of Douai Abbey and, at the end of his term of office in 1913, he replaced Canon Kelly at Maesteg.

It was he who planned the lovely church grounds and had the church redecorated.

In recent years some parts of the fabric of the church have given cause for concern and a number of Church Restoration fund-raising events have been organised.

More centenary celebrations are set to follow.

See the Gazette’s Llynfi Valley column for details.