Welcome to the parish website
of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (Barton-Under-Needwood) serving St Francis de Sales, (Yoxall) and St Michael and St James (Haunton)
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Our Parish
Fr Eamonn Corduff was appointed parish priest of our two parishes in August 2019. Fr Eamonn looks after the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Barton-under-Needwood together with the Mother Church for the area St Francis de Sales at Woodlane, Yoxall and also has responsibility for the parish of St Michael and St James at Haunton. At Haunton he is assisted by Deacon Tony Rigby. These parishes are in the Lichfield Deanery of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.
St Christopher’s Church at Tutbury is now looked after by the parish of SS Mary and Modwen in Burton upon Trent. For Tutbury Mass times contact the Burton parish.
A brief history of our Churches
Our mother Church, St Francis de Sales was the first post reformation public chapel in East Staffordshire. Built in 1794/1795 by Charles Talbot the then Earl of Shrewsbury, as a Catholic mission, after Hoar Cross Hall was closed (demolished in 1794). Masses had been celebrated in the Hall in secret but with more freedom through the 1791 Relief Act the chapel we now gather in was opened. Originally simple and ‘barn like’ to avoid threats and attack, it was extended in the 1840’s andu made cruciform with porch and belfry with input from the renowned architect, Pugin. The teachings of the 16th century French ‘Gentleman saint’ Francis de Sales made a deep impression on Bishop Challoner and his coadjutor Bishop James Talbot. St Francis spoke of true devotion as seeking and doing the will of God, a perfect choice of patron.
St Michael and James, Haunton has a fascinating history too. Land for the church was donated by Henry and Emily Pye. Henry was a former Anglican clergyman who converted to Catholicism in the mid-19th century, the time of St John Henry Newman’s Oxford movement. Emily was the granddaughter of William Wilberforce, the great anti-slave trade campaigner. The first church building opened in 1885 and was dedicated to St Michael. In 1887, this was extended by the addition of the present sanctuary using some of the stonework of a pre-reformation chapel dedicated to St James. Thus the parish name SS. Michael and James, a rare combination. St James was an apostle who wrote one of the epistles of the New Testament and was martyred for the Christian faith in Jerusalem. St Michael (icon see front) the great warrior archangel referred to in the books of Daniel and Revelation (Rev 12:7-8).
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church opened in 1963. Masses had been celebrated in Barton from April 1945, initially in a large house in Dunstall Road and then in an Anglican Church hall until the present site was acquired through the energy and vision of Fr Philip Casey. In 1992 a church hall was built and later the Church was completed with reordered sanctuary and seating. Archbishop Vincent Nichols blessed the church on 2nd December 2000, Jubilee year and Bishop Philip Pargeter dedicated the church on 7th April 2005. Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Succour) is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary as represented in the 15th century icon that some claim is a copy of a painting of St Luke. Our Lady (described by the Greek lettering as Mother of God) wears a dark red dress representing the passion of Jesus with a blue mantle representing her perpetual virginity and a cloaked veil representing her pure modesty. Our Lady looks towards us while pointing at her son, the infant Jesus who is frightened by the sight of the instruments of crucifixion, depicted by a fallen sandal in the full image. The left side is St Michael the Archangel (inscription in Greek) carrying the lance and sponge of the crucifixion. On the right is St Gabriel the Archangel (written in Greek) carrying a 3-bar cross and nails. Our Lady has a star on her forehead signifying her role as Star of the Sea. On the bottom right is the Greek inscription IC – XC, Jesus Christ.
Celebrating the Sacraments
Baptism is by appointment. Marriage is also by appointment and a minimum of six months notice before the big day! Sacrament of Reconciliation can be arranged by request and available according to times in weekly newsletter as well as times of Holy Mass.
If you are going into Hospital, please make sure that staff know that you are a Catholic and that you would like to receive a visit from the Catholic Chaplain.
Barton Catholic Parish 