On Monday the 5th September, after 177 years of being served by the Benedictines, Leyland parish was transferred to the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
A Mass for the handover will be held on Friday 23rd September at 7pm in St Mary's, Leland. The handover Mass will mark the transfer of the parish from the Benedictine Community of Ampleforth Abbey, and Abbot Robert will symbolically hand over the parish keys to the new Parish Priest.
The Presiding Celebrant will be Archbishop Malcolm McMahon with Abbot Robert giving the homily. They will be joined by a number of concelebrating priests from the Archdiocese of Liverpool and the Ampleforth Community. It will be a Mass of thanksgiving and Induction for the new Parish Priest, Fr Joe Bibby, who succeeds Fr Jonathan as he has retired from the parish after serving as Parish Priest for 30 years.
Fr Jonathan and Fr Bernard (who has served since 2018) will return to the Monastic community at Ampleforth.
The Mass is being streamed online and can be watched live or on playback via Church Services TV. (Make sure to select the Mass for Friday evening.)