Welcome to St.Bede's Church!
Fr.Jim Allen and the parishoners of St.Bede's Catholic Church, here in the beautiful border city of Carlisle, in the county of Cumbria, welcome you!
If you are visiting or new to the area, please come and join us, this website should give you all the information you need, including directions, mass times and contact details.
As a catholic church, our aim is to be a family where people come to be healed, forgiven and given power to change their lives and change the world. Our church offers opportunities for people to grow in faith in Jesus Christ, in hope and in love. Our parish is a diverse community with people of all ages and social variety. We have a strong congregation celebrating their faith at mass in our church. Look here for a list of the mass times.
St.Bede's Golden Jubilee
Celebrations to mark the 50th birthday of St Bede’s Church were held during the week 14 – 20th June 2009. The historians would advise that this was some five months early, however the weather in June is likely to be better than November, and Fr Jim Allen has always an eye for the heating costs.
The week commenced with First Holy Communions on the Feast of Corpus Christie. A buffet for the First Communicants, teas, coffee and soft drinks for the parents relations and friends and the parishioners was held in the Parish Centre and spilled on to the lawns as the sun shone.
Monday saw the Union of Catholic Mothers host an ecumenical service followed by a social gathering in the Parish Centre.
Mass for the sick and housebound was celebrated on Tuesday afternoon. The Sacrament of the Sick was administered to those who wanted to receive this Sacrament. The invitations included members of St Edmund’s Parish and also St Cuthbert’s Wigton, and Fr Peter Hart was in attendance. A buffet and social gathering in the Parish Centre followed.
The main event was held on Friday evening when Bishop Michael was the principal celebrant at the Jubilee Mass. There were 18 priests concelebrating Mass these were priests who had served in St Bede’s and St Edmund’s, Priests ordained from the Parish, and Priests from the Deanery. Almost 300 parishioners and friends turned out for this star studied occasion. Miss Mary Cully and Mrs Jessie Wilson received the Bene Merenti Medal from Bishop Michael. Local shops have registered an increased demand for Brasso!
Mrs Wilson’s present husband, Gordon sported his Bene Morenti medal presented some time ago in another parish.
The evening was rounded off with a superb buffet, provided by parishioners and organised by Cath Arabi. Bishop Michael cut the Jubilee Cake, prepared by Rafal Budjinski and family: and it appeared that the Polish members of the community received bigger pieces than the rest of us!
The School Choir, led by Miss Battle, Headteacher, sang at the First Communion Celebration and The Mass for the Sick and Housebound and was brilliant. The children joined forces with the church choir for the Jubilee Mass and produced a memorable evening of music.
A parish dinner was organised for Saturday evening and was supported by a good cross section of the parish. This occasion provided an opportunity to unwind after a hectic week. It was a very pleasant evening with not a sausage roll in sight.
Fr Jim Allen said that this week of celebration had been a resounding success; I have heard no one disagree.
Miss Mary Cully, enthused by the Golden Jubilee is hoping to form a committee to plan the Centenary Celebrations in 2059, a date for the diary. Look here for photos of the celebration.Look here to read Bishop Campbell's homily.