THE EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
SATURDAY     5.00 p.m. Our Polish Community
      7.00 p.m. First Eucharist of Sunday –
Glynn Jones RIP Anniversary
SUNDAY EUCHARISTS   8.30 a.m. John Hunter – RIP   
11.00 a.m. Mario Petronzi – RIP

MONDAY  Feria 10.00 a.m. Debbie RIP, who died tragically
TUESDAY    NO CELEBRATION TODAY
WEDNESDAY St John Mary Vianney, Curé d’Am. Patron of Priests (Memorial)
    10.00 a.m. Honor Connolly – RIP
THURSDAY   NO CELEBRATION TODAY
FRIDAY    The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Feast and Gloria)
    10.00 a.m. Deceased Presentation Sisters RIP
SATURDAY     5.00 p.m. Our Polish Community
      7.00 p.m. First Eucharist of Sunday –
Michael Donaghy RIP (N Ireland)
    NO MORNING CELEBRATIONS
  Wedding   1.00 p.m. Ben Collins and Jenna Lowey
SUNDAY (8th Aug) EUCHARISTS  
       8.30 a.m.  Peter Donnelly - RIP
    11.00 a.m. Rose Pegg - RIP

Welcome to St Anne's Catholic Church in Buxton.

  Today as I begin to compose my introduction to this year's annual Parish Magazine it is May 3rd 2010. I look out of the window over the sun emblazoned garden. There are beautiful signs of new life. There are wonderful colours of red, blue, purple, mauve and various shades of green. The view really is as pretty as a picture.
    However, over the Slopes there is a massive bank of grey and black cloud. The arrow on the Museum roof is pointing to the north. The brisk breeze is decidedly chilly. I can see one bush which died during the winter. Standing firm and proudly is Michael Regan's rock.
    Who was Michael Regan, or Mick as he was affectionately called, you may ask? Well, I'll tell you. Mick was part of the Parish fixtures when I arrived in 1987. He looked after the Parish Centre, cleaning, organising the furniture for different events. Amongst other jobs he would turn out at midnight to put on the heating when a winter frost was forecast. He moved the winter snows and tended the gardens. He did it all for the love of God.
    Then this lovely little man died in his sleep, with his hands clasped in prayer, and a smile on his face. He had lived and died a happy man.
    Since then, for over twenty years, we have been lucky to have many workers caring for our Parish needs, both in doors and outside of them. Please excuse my not listing these names. They know who they are, and I say a big THANK YOU to them all, both past and present. I mention Mick because I am inspired by the sight of his "rock of faith".
    Another question, "what is faith?" I hope we accept and understand by now that faith is hope for the future. In no way do I include eternity from the very "beginning" to the unknown future when time will not be a factor. "Hope for the future" is in reference to God's kingdom here on earth. It looks towards God's people of future generations who will grace the future of God's kingdom here on earth.
    Our church with its community is a symbol of God's kingdom here in Buxton, along with all the other churches, chapels and places of "worship" with their own communities. Each one endeavours to promote God's kingdom here in Buxton in its own chosen way. Hence these buildings and their people have significance, namely God's presence in the world. Each community has its own agenda, theology and philosophy in order to justify its purpose.
    Here at St. Anne's we continue to determine our needs for the future of our significance of God's Kingdom - on earth. We do have two outstanding signs of out purpose in our schools.
    Our schools, along with all schools, prepare the pupils for their future life, both academically and how to be good citizens. All in all, to be fair. To be fair is to be a servant of God. In the end, all the stories about Jesus teach us to be fair.
    The standard of our school buildings is of paramount importance. Over these twenty years, our Parish has helped financially to improve them, to the tune of £600,000. Developments continue to go forward even now. Even as I write, projects are being furthered at both schools.
    The Sports Hall at St. Thomas More School is now "an earner" out of school hours. Many thanks to the business management there. Our Schools Building Fund is set up for the future on the inception of donations of £80,000 and £50,000. However, 10% responsibilities will be called on, so parental donations are still needed. St Annes Primary School.
That brings us to our church properties. Lots have been done over the years. The house and church have been rewired - new lighting in the church, along with decorating. Roofing repairs have been completed.
At the end of the financial year we "broke even". The sanctuary repairs costing £10,500 were covered by two generous donations.
There is still much to be done on church property in the future. Many, many thanks for your generosity. My faith is that I have hope for the future of God's kingdom here at St. Anne's Buxton. "St Anne's extends a warm welcome to all visitors."
Fr Dennis Higgins 

Check this link to send a message to Fr Dennis

     The return of the faith to Buxton in the last century was due almost entirely to the tourist traffic of the town. In 1837, when there was probably not a single Catholic family resident in Buxton, the priest from Leek began to come occasionally to say Mass for the visitors from Ireland. The house used for this purpose still stands and is known as No 19 West Street. From the August of 1845, Fr. O'Farrell of Leek began to say Mass every Sunday during the season. It appears that he was able to secure the use of a small room which was reserved for Catholic purposes and which was spoken of as a "chapel".
     The connection with Leek ceased in 1848. In this year, the mass-centre was taken over by Fr. Collins of New Mills. For the next four years, this arrangement was to endure. However, during the latter half of this period there was a priest resident in the town. This was Fr. Edward McGreevy, an Irish priest so crippled with rheumatism that he at first needed crutches and a bath chair in order to move about. He came seeking a cure from the waters and found it. As his health improved he began to say Mass for the Catholic visitors to Buxton at his house at No 10 or No 12 West Street; later at the house of Mr Robert Nall in High Street (a house and shop occupied in 1923 by Mr Liddell, chemist). At other times Mass was said in the house of Mr Anzai (then the only Catholic resident in Buxton) in Spring Gardens. And in the season the great number wishing to attend Mass made it necessary sometimes to move the Mass-centre to Mr. Anzani's "Bazaar", or to the Old Town Hall. (Buxton in 1851 had 266 houses, and l,235 inhabitants, of whom 551 were males and 684 females). By 1852, the health of Fr. Greevy was so improved that Bishop Hendren appointed him Missionary priest of Buxton and separated the mission from the parent church of New Mills. Some considerable progress had already been made. Samuel Grimshaw, a wealthy land and mill owner of Errwood Hall in the Goyt Valley had given considerable assistance (the last stained glass window on the left is dedicated to the Grimshaw family) and Dr. Darwin had adopted a large room in his house in Scarsdale Street to serve as a chapel with seating for a congregation of sixty.
     Bishop Roskell laid the foundation stone of the present church of St. Anne on July 26th 1860. He returned to open the completed church on July 16th 1861 and future Cardinal Manning was among those present on that occasion.
     This original building of 1861 was designed by J.J.Scholes, in the "Lancet" or "Early English" style to accommodate 400 people. It consisted of a simple nave, built of Reeve Edge Ripping stone, and was built by the firm of Robert Rippon Duke. The plans provided for the subsequent erection of a tower and spire, but these have not been added to the building. The present sanctuary, together with the two side chapels dedicated to the Sacred Heart and to Our Lady of Lourdes was added in the time of Canon Hoeben (1885 - 1900) the church was consecrated on July 26 1897.
     The land bought from the Duke of Devonshire by Fr. McGreevy for the church was of considerable size, and an area of 1545 square yards was earmarked for the building of an elementary school. The project was however, shelved until the arrival of Fr. Hoeben in 1885. He began by renting a very small room which is described as being "at the top of the steps on the left side" in the Old Town Hall, where he organised a school with a Mr and Mrs Gorton as master and mistress. The date of this foundation is not known, but it was subsequent to 1886. Some time after this, the present school, together with a schoolhouse, was built behind the church. At first, the school was maintained entirely by the contributions of the congregation. Subsequently it earned grants from the government, and in 1898, it was transferred to the care of the Sisters of the Presentation. Three Sisters of the Presentation from Liversey Street Convent, Manchester, opened the convent in Hardwick Square on April 23 1898.
      When the new primary school of St Anne's was opened in Lightwood Road, in September 1972, the first school became a Community centre hosting numerous groups and activities for the whole town, including the current St Anne's Nursery School.

click this link for the Official Diocese of Nottingham website

Buxton is part of the Diocese of Nottingham.

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or click this link for The Diocesan Centre on Mornington Crescent, Derby

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 Handing on Our Faith Sr Raymunda Jordan (44kb)
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