ABOUT US

St John the Baptist Parish Normanton, near Wakefield and in the Diocese of Leeds, has been serving the local Catholic community since 1905. Our Catholic heritage is deeply rooted within the people of our communities. The history of the parish is as diverse as it can be; the parish has maintained the faith through two world wars and great hardships. We thank God for our community of faith.

You will find below a short insight into our parish history, our serving priests, and some of the unique projects which we have undertaken. Please do make an effort to call into the parish should you be in the area. All are very welcome!

Our Parish Priest is Fr. Mark Naughton. He joined us in 2018.

St John the Baptist Parish - First 50 years

As you can see, the Catholic Community here in the Normanton, Altofts and surrounding area has a long history. The Parish can be traced back to before the 'Reformation'. The Church is built on the Newland Site which originally was part of the land of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. Newland Hall was built over that site on which there was was originally a chapel and house for the Knights.

After the Restoration of the Faith to our country and Catholics were once again able to build churches and worship free from persecution the area was part of the Jesuit Mission at Pontefract.

After some years in the care of the Jesuits the parish was established in its own right and welcomed its first parish priest in July 1885.

We have outlined opposite some of the key milestones within the history of the parish. The deep faith, and continued blessings received from our Lord have sustained us through some very difficult times.

1845 - 1888 - The Early Years - Parish Formation

1845 - The Byrne family of Irish Row open their home for Mass

1867 - A Mass Station is opened at Whitwood, served from Pontefract and first mentioned in 1870 Directory of the Diocese of Beverley.

1870 - At the Rising Sun Inn, Whitwood, a Committee is formed to draw up plans for a School Chapel at Normanton Common; it was probably completed during that year.

1871 - A Chapel of Ease opens in Whitwood, but with no resident priest services are led by the Jesuits from Pontefract (and later Wakefield) - although the priests concerned were Dutch and members of the German Province.

1885 - As the last Jesuit priest leaves, he reports that the Whitwood Mission covered 55 square miles, and that from 177 households, with a population of about 800, the (two) Sunday Masses had an average attendance of 250. The school housed 350 children.

1885 - Our first Parish Priest - Father Frederick Herfkens - takes up residence.

1885 - The parish is established and welcomes its first Parish Priest - Father Frederick Herfkens (a native of Friesland in Northern Holland). Fr Herfkens (buried in Normanton Lower cemetery in the priest's plot) toured his native Holland to raise money for the new Church. It was he would raised the money and commission the Dutch stained glass throughout the Church.

1888 - A new school chapel is built at Newland Lane end, followed shortly afterwards by a presbytery and a club.
1904-1905 - Foundation Stone & Opening

1904 May - The foundation stone of the new church is laid.

1905 July - The church opens.
1911 & 1936 - Trials and Priests

1911 - Fr Herfkens dies aged 67. He is succeeded by Father Joseph Imkamp - a compatriot and friend of Father Herfkens. He had served as curate to Fr Herfkens. Fr Imkamp (also buried at Normanton Lower cemetery) guided the parish through the many trials of the First World War, and the long and damaging strikes (in the mining and other industries) of 1921 and 1926.

1936 - Father Imkamp dies aged 62. He is succeeded by Father Terence O'Connell, a native of County Laois, south-west of Dublin. Apart from his devoted priestly ministry he is remembered especially for his active interest in local public life and for his success at clearing the parish's large debt.

1957 - 2004 - 2nd Vatican Council - New outlook

The Second 50 Years

1957 - After 21 years as parish priest Father O'Connell dies aged 60 and is succeeded by Father Patrick O'Grady, a native of County Tipperary . Father O'Grady completes the work of establishing the Catholic Secondary School at North Featherstone, St Wilfrid's, begun by his predecessor and guides the parish through the major changes of the Second Vatican Council.

1971 - The Bishop appoints Father O'Grady honorary Canon of the Diocesan Chapter and Dean of Pontefract Deanery.

1982 May - Canon O'Grady celebrates 45 years in the priesthood. He lays the foundation stone of the eponymous parish hall, to be completed some two years later. After 25 years as parish priest he dies in July. He is remembered especially as a zealous pastor who cared for the sick and the dying and as one who was always generous to the poor and the distressed.

1982 September - Canon O'grady is succeeded by Fr Patrick O'Keefe. Fr O'Keefe was a man who was devoted to his people and the needs of the Parish. He worked tirelessly to clear the debt due to the building of the Parish Hall and to secure the future of the Parish.
In 1988 he agreed to accept a student for the Priesthood who was ordained in Ushaw College, Durham in 1989. The following year the deacon was ordained to the Priesthood in St John's Church on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart and St John Fisher and St Thomas More. Fr Mark Naughton would return to the parish nearly three decades later as the ninth and current Parish Priest always grateful to Fr O'Keefe for his example and support.

1997 - Fr Paul Reid becomes the parish's sixth parish priest and during his tenure oversees the demolition and rebuilding of the Presbytery and major reconstruction and renovation of the church.

2004 - Canon Peter Maguire becomes the seventh Parish Priestand succeeds Fr Paul Reid.
More recent years

2013 June - The parish celebrates Canon Maguire's Golden Jubilee with a large celebration in the parish.

2013 October - Fr Duane Reilly becomes the eighth Parish Priest after succeeding Canon Peter Maguire. Fr Reilly installed the High Altar, originally a side-altar of the Sacred Heart in St. Mary's, Bradford.
Current status

Fr. Mark Naughton (arrived 2018) is the current Parish Priest. The current but, with God's Grace, not the last in a line of priests didicated to the service of God and His people.

World War One Special Project

To mark the centenary of World War One, our parish decided to undertake a research project into the people of our parish who were killed during the Great War and mentioned on our parish’s war memorial plaque.

Our actual memorial to those killed in the conflict are the church’s Stations of the Cross which the plaque identifies as being dedicated in this way.

The project itself ran throughout the centenary period and compromised several different events aimed at gathering information about the lives, service and history of our parish’s war dead.

The investigations were limited to documents and sources available on Ancestry.co.uk and information located within our own parish records (Such as marriage and baptism registers), however we would be very interested in any research that you have been involved with yourselves. If you would like to share your information with the project, please email any documents to ww1.stjohnsnormanton@live.co.uk so that they can be added to our parish’s online archive of information and sources.

The parish celebrated its centenary in July 2005. One of the highlights of the week-long series of events was a procession through the streets of Normanton. Along the way we were joined by our fellow Christians from the Anglican, Methodist and Baptist communities.

The Bishop of Leeds, the Right Reverend Arthur Roche, led Canon Maguire and his fellow priests in the concelebration of the Mass on Sunday 24 June 2005 - the feast day of our patron saint.

On Sunday 3 July - the closest day to the anniversary itself - the morning Mass was followed by a procession around the town. As we wound our way past the Methodist, Anglican and Baptist churches we were greeted - and joined - by our fellow Christians before making our way back to the church hall for our social event.