The Irishman was a publication that started life in Belfast in 1858 and moved to Dublin within its first year. Famous as a Catholic and nationalist publication, its masthead was awash with shamrocks entwined around the Gaelic typeface.
And it was in this newspaper, on 12 December 1863, that a letter from Batley’s priest Rev. Patrick Lynch was published. In it he appealed for subscriptions to build a new church. The letter in full read:
CHURCH ACCOMMODATION IN BATLEY
TO THE EDITOR OF THE IRISHMAN
Batley, December 7, 1863DEAR SIR —Will you kindly insert in the pages of your highly-esteemed paper the following enclosed letter of the Lord Bishop of Beverley?1
“18, Hanover-square, Leeds.
“Rev. DEAR SIR —It gives me much pleasure to be able to announce to you and to your good people, the completion of the purchase of land for a new church and presbytery to be erected in Batley.
“My great anxiety now is to see the present deplorable chapel replaced by a good, useful church. Use, then, your well-deserved influence with your pious flock to induced them to do honour to their zeal for God’s honour, and for the glory of His Church, by being as generous in their offerings as their means will permit. Tell them how very warmly I bless all their efforts, and that I do not mean to be a wholly silent spectator of their struggles. I have already promised you a small sum, and I do not intend to confine myself to that sum, if I can possibly find means to send you a larger aid.
“Blessing you and your labours in this good cause, I am, rev. dear sir, yours truly,
“ႵROBERT CORNTHWAITE
“Rev. P. Lynch, Batley.”Now, such is his Lordship’s letter, and truly speaking no person can really imagine the wretched and most deplorable position in which the Catholics of this mission are now placed for want of suitable church accommodation. We muster at least 1,500 souls, all of the labouring class, without school and presbytery. Our present chapel, or rather a building used for a chapel (formerly a rag and shoddy warehouse), cannot accommodate more than 150 souls during the celebration of the sacrifice of the holy Mass. We are doing all we can, and exerting ourselves to our scanty means, but we are sure we shall feel the loss of a good useful church for years to come, unless the generous and the charitable and those who God has blessed with the riches of this world will give us a helping hand. May the God of love and of mercy move the hearts of the good and charitable to relieve our pressing wants and enable us by their kind contributions to lay the foundation stone of our intended new church on the 17th day of March 1864.
Subsciptions, &c., will be thankfully received by the Lord Bishop of Beverley at his residence, 18, Hanover-square, Leeds, and by the Rev. P. Lynch, Batley.
It was to be over five years after Rev. Lynch wrote this appeal before the foundation stone for St Mary of the Angels RC Church was laid. And on 15 December 1870 it finally opened its doors to parishioners.
Footnotes:
1. This was before the creation of Leeds Diocese
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