Shine a light - for the jewel in Merseyside's crown!
Call me old-fashioned, but hardly a day passes without me saying my prayers - usually at night and sometimes when I am not ENTIRELY sober.
Mainly, I pray for people - people I love and people I don't even know but who have suffered misfortune.
And for more than two years past I have also prayed that the magnificent church of Ss Peter and Paul in New Brighton would reopen. I prayed mainly to Our Lady - our most powerful intercessor with God.
It seems that my prayers, and the prayers of thousands of others in New Brighton, have been answered - Ss Peter and Paul has reopened, albeit in a limited way with just one weekly Mass each Friday morning and only in the tiny day chapel.
But the Holy Spirit is ever active. Things are moving. There is a new Catholic Bishop for the area and he is looking at ways of bringing life back to the whole of the cathedral-like structure of Ss Peter and Paul.
Good. The closing of this much-loved church in 2008 - a grave error, in my view - caused such disappointment and bitterness in New Brighton.
Now the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a group which has experience of reopening churches, has reportedly expressed an interest in the site.The order, which is based in Florence, has about 70 priests and mainly concentrates on missionary work by running parishes and schools.
Priests from the institute conduct Mass in Latin, which I feel sure would be welcome in New Brighton, where some Catholic women, I have noticed still cover their heads with traditional mantillas (black lace scarves) when attending Mass.
And now there is a proposal in the local community to illuminate the dome of this church at night. What a brilliant idea - it can be seen from miles out to sea and from the Pier Head, the dock road and other parts of Liverpool.
As a symbol of confident Christian witness the dome of Ss Peter and Paul is glorious. Let the light shine; let the faithful come.
I am mindful of the hymn 'Faith of Our Fathers' which we were taught to sing as kids growing up in Wigan ...
"Faith of our fathers, Mary's prayers
Will win our country back to thee!"
NB I can't write about this emotional subject without paying tribute to the doughty campaigners of Save Our Unique Landmark (SOUL). From a distance, I have observed (and been impressed with) their dignified and prayerful determination - displayed all through the dark days of Ss Peter and Paul's closure.
Their struggle is not yet over, of course, but they have hope on their side now. And like St Paul himself, they will fight the good fight, keep the faith and run the race to the finish.
And I keep thinking of my old school motto too - "Quod Bonum Est Tenete", hold that which is good.
That sentiment certainly applies to Ss Peter and Paul.
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Steve Regan - Steve Regan is a writer who also runs the Bards of New Brighton poetry and music club, which meets at the Magazine pub, New Brighton, on the second Monday of every month. starting at 8pm. Free admission
Steve, I'm delighted to hear that this wonderful old church has been kept alive. Only the other day I was wondering what had happened to it - and feared that it had been the site for yet another supermarket or block of flats.
I'll raise to a glass to the campaigners tonight!
Any news on this. I thought the closure was heart breaking and attended the last Mass. Strange thing was that it was not until it was closed that the full impact of what had been done by the church to the its people really hit me. Thought your piece was really moving and sparked me to write this.
Thank you.
Kevin
Thanks Kevin. I think we are all stuill waiting to hear more. And I think a "Friends of SS Peter and Paul Church" has been set up. Been a bit busy with other things, I'm afraid.