Our Parish

Our Parish - St Mary and St Anselm

In recent years the parish of St Mary's, Bacup and Our Immaculate Mother and St Anselm, Whitworth joined together to create one new parish - St Mary and St Anselm. The parish primary schools Our Lady and St Anselm's (OLSA), Whitworth and St Mary's RC Primary School, Bacup have strong links both with the parish and each other. Whilst each school continues to remain distinctive and each serve their separate communities, the sister schools collaborate on many parish projects including the annual parish Christmas Fayre, Harvest Festival and charitable Christmas card projects and more recently the celebration of St Anselm's church 150 year anniversary. 

We have strong links with our Parish Priest Father Chris McGrane who visits school every week to visit each class in rotation and celebrate Holy Mass in the junior classes. Each year the school hold a Christingle Service within school over which Father Chris presides. Weekday mass is served in the parish churches and as a school we take groups and classes at various times throughout the year. Pupils from St Mary's and OLSA are offered the opportunity to take part in the Sacramental Programme, this is a parish led programme and the schools support pupils and families. Two of the catechists are governors at each of the primary schools. 

Our parish maintains excellent links with other parishes and schools. There are opportunities to attend Deanary Mass and St Mary's pupils regularly attend the Rossendale Catholic Cluster Valley Masses and Services, usually held at All Saints High School.