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God's little Gem

Tucked away at the back of Brasennose Street, it's always been rather better known as the "Hidden Gem" (a phrase first coined by then Bishop of Salford, Herbert Vaughan, in the late 19th century).

These days, office workers more intent on feeding the pangs of lunchtime hunger than any spiritual yearnings may easily miss it on their way to the many sandwich shops which have sprung up in its immediate vicinity.

On Sundays, too, the church is crammed with shoppers, visitors to Manchester, and the growing number of people who live nearby. Its congregation is one of the largest in the north west.

St Mary's has inspired generations of churchgoers, including world-famous artist L S Lowry (prints of his 1962 charcoal and chalk drawing of the church are sold inside as a parish fund-raiser) and Salford artist Harold Riley, who was sufficiently inspired by the church to paint "Our Lady of Manchester".

Many years ago, legendary Irish tenor John McCormack also sang here and the Duchess of Kent was a more recent visitor.

Built in 1794, its rather plain, redbrick façade reflects the fact this was the first Catholic church to be built in any English city after the Reformation.

Bells, steeples, and any other ornate "popeish" touches were banned until the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, which restored people's rights to worship as they chose. The history of St Mary's runs parallel with the rise of Manchester from a small village in the 18th century to becoming one of the largest cities in England.

By the early 19th century the site, once open meadowland, was soon surrounded by mean streets and unspeakable living conditions.

One of the first parish priests, Father Henry Gillow, died of typhus caught while visiting his flock.

Earlier, in what was meant as an act of kindness to parishioners, he had employed many of the most needy on a roof re-building programme.

But in 1835, their lack of expertise led to its collapse, and the interior of the church was substantially re-built.

In 1869, a Mr Lane, of Preston, was commissioned to design the marble and stone High Altar, which can still be seen today. Over 130 years on, churchgoers still gaze on the figures of the angels, saints Patrick and Peter, and a life-size shrine to Our Lady of Manchester.

In 1979, city council leaders considered re-developing the site. However, a petition signed in six days by over 20,000 people soon changed their minds.

IN the early nineties an appeal was launched by parish priest Father Denis Clinch and the Salford Diocese to raise £750,000 to restore the church and save it for future generations.

Meanwhile, the church found temporary homes in the nearby Midland and Quaker Meeting House in Mount Street.

Much-needed structural repairs were carried out, new stained-glass windows installed, marble pillars restored to their former glory, and new Stations of the Cross commissioned from Norman Adams RA. In 1994, the church celebrated its bi-centenary.

For over two decades, Father Denis Clinch has been the guiding light at the Hidden Gem.

An unassuming man with a wry sense of humour, he has seen the surrounding area change almost beyond recognition.

Back in the early eighties, this part of Manchester was badly in need of investment, and was pretty much devoid of people once the offices had closed.

Now expensive apartments, countless café bars, and swanky restaurants are growing up around his 200-year-old church.

But Father Clinch keeps his feet on the ground and to him it remains as it has always been - a city centre haven for those in need of prayer.

"When Sue Ryder, Lady Ryder of Warsaw, came to speak here in 1982 at a service to express solidarity with the people of Poland it was her first visit.

"She turned to me and said, quite spontaneously: `This is a very holy place. To me, that sums up how the people of Manchester really feel about it.'"