About Us

The Parish church of St Paul the Apostle, Paddington, with its attached rooms, house and garden, serves the parish of St Paul with Christ Church, which stretches from Oldfield Road to Salford's Shopping City. The church seeks to show forth the love of God in Jesus Christ and central, therefore, to all its activities is the Eucharist. Since 1995 the parish has been affiliated to Forward in Faith and on the 16th July 2008 the PCC voted to adopt resolution C so that the parish is now under the care of the Bishop of Beverley.

Within the Catholic tradition of the Church of England it is the Mass that matters most of all and a significant number of adults and children worship regularly at St Paul's. We try also to serve the needs of the most disadvantaged in the local community. To this end furniture is recycled on a large scale, food and clothing are provided for the needy and night shelter for the homeless in emergency. Paper and fabric are recycled as a matter of principle. Links with all local schools are precious but of special importance is the close relationship with St Paul's Church of England Aided School, on Cross Lane.

Brief History of the Building <div>

St Paul's Church was built in 1856 and consecrated in that year by the first Bishop of
Manchester. Designed by Edwin Hugh Shellard in the Gothic style, St Paul's is a delightful building of excellent proportions. During its first hundred years, in a district which experienced grinding poverty, it suffered the ill effects of inadequate funding for maintenance and the consequence of dire atmospheric pollution. In 1968 Stephen Dykes Bower, surveyor to Westminster Abbey, came to Salford and put in hand an extensive programme of repair and adornment. Visitors today come from far and wide to see a church restored to the beauty of holiness. The pipe organ is the work of Samuel Green and dates back to 1787, a magnificent baroque instrument, much spoken of and written about. Of great visual appeal is the fully decorated ceiling which never fails to lift up hearts and minds. Worth seeing are fine examples of craftsmanship in needlework, wood work, glazing and metal work. The Altar ornaments are the work of an early 20th century architect of note, W.D. Caroe. Parishioners care for St Paul's church with great devotion and in that work for God is our prayer. The church, the parish rooms, the garden wall and gates were listed in 2003.
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