WELCOME TO THE PARISH OF THE HOLY REDEEMER.

In May 2007, as part of his reorganisation of the Huddersfield Deanery and the wider diocese, Bishop Arthur Roche established a new parish to serve the northern urban area of Huddersfield.

The parish has three churches: the church of St. Patrick’s in the town centre, the church of the Holy Family, Slaithwaite to serve the western area and the church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Sheepridge to serve the eastern area.

Over the summer of 2007, the parish was formed. Sadly, this involved the closure of the church of St. Brigid, Lowergate, the chapel of St Martin de Porres, the chapel of St. Bernadette, Bradley and the church of St. James, Oakes also closed.

The eventual plan was for three priests to live in the centre of Huddersfield to serve the whole parish and to provide chaplaincy to the hospital and the schools.

In September 2007, the parish was named as the Parish of the Holy Redeemer and together with the renaming of the newly formed parish in South Huddersfield under the title “The Immaculate Heart of Mary”, it was envisaged that the people of Huddersfield would feel themselves protected in their mission by both The Saviour and His Blessed Mother.

Under the leadership of Canon Ian Smith, the parish continued to deal with the grief that church closures always engender but they also gave themselves to creative ways of reaching out and serving the mission that had begun under Fr Thomas Kiely’s direction in the very early Victorian age.  A thriving SVP society serves the most vulnerable across the town and supports individuals and families in difficulty.  The Diocesan Music department facilitates a very talented Youth Choir that not only sing at our Sunday Masses but also in other churches across the country and on BBC radio.

The recent pandemic brought about yet more turmoil and change but, with the help of Our Lord, we are committed to the mission entrusted to us: “to go and make disciples of all the peoples”.  With so many nationalities represented within the boundaries of our parish, we are facing that challenge head-on and we are confident of success not because of our own efforts but because we trust the Lord is working through us.