This account has been compiled using a History of St. Joseph the Worker Parish written by Mr Terence Richards.
The beginnings
St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic church, situated at De Montfort Way, Cannon Park, Coventry, is in the Deanery of Coventry and the Archdiocese of Birmingham. It became a parish in 1962, and has been served over the past 57 years by just four priests:
- 1962 – 1966: Fr. Bernard Boulton
- 1966 – 1969: Fr. John Pinkman
- 1969 – 2011: Fr. Michael Jordan
- 2012 – 2020: Fr. Harry Curtis
- 2020- August 2022: Fr Stephen Day
- Assistant parish priest: Fr Peter Conley
- Assistant Deacon: Deacon David Palmer
- 2022 September – Present Day: Fr Simon Baker
- Assistant parish priest: Fr Peter Conley
- Assistant Deacon: Deacon David Palmer
The British History Online tells us that, “in the 20th Century, the Roman Catholic population in Coventry and its neighbourhood both increased and became more widely distributed (…). New suburban Roman Catholic parishes were formed in the years following the Second World War (…). In 1957, the priest in charge of All Souls church was responsible for serving a new mass (centre) at Henry Parkes (primary) school in Prior Deram Walk, Canley, where the (attendance) averaged 240″.
Masses were held on Sunday mornings in the school hall from the late 1950s until 1966, with worshippers carrying chairs from the classrooms.
The creation of a new parish
From its beginning in the 1950s, when it catered for the extensively working class population of Canley, the parish that was to be named St. Joseph the Worker grew and thrived, being enriched by newcomers. An independent parish was established in 1962, and the first parish priest was Fr. Bernard Boulton. It was he who eventually chose the name St. Joseph the Worker for the church.
By 1965, Fr. Boulton had moved into a house at 50 Cannon Hill Road, where he was to remain living during his time as parish priest. The house was to be the home of the next two parish priests until the present church and presbytery were built.
It is relevant to acknowledge that Christian kindness was effected by churches that were not Roman Catholic, as outlined in the written words of Fr. Michael Jordan: from the beginning of the parish in 1962, “both the Methodists and the parish of St. Stephen (Church of England) were a great help and support to the parish. (…) The Methodists used to lend (…) their premises for the instruction of the children for first Confession and first Holy Communion, as well as for meetings of the Union of Catholic Mothers. It was a sad day when they decided they must leave the area”. St. Stephen’s Mothers’ Union used to invite the mothers in the Roman Catholic parish “to all their functions and the friendship between St. Stephen’s and the parish of Saint Joseph the Worker … continued to develop and grow”.
The eventual site for the temporary St. Joseph the Worker church was by the Kirby Corner Road/Shultern Lane junction in Canley.
Fr. Jordan has further written that “it took four years after the founding of the parish to obtain a site for St. Joseph the Worker church. However, the city authorities would allow only a temporary building designed to last not more than ten years without special care on a site which was also temporary. This was because they were not yet ready to develop the area and did not want to prejudice any future development they might carry out”.
When the temporary church was completed at Easter 1966, Fr. Boulton was suddenly appointed parish priest of St. Philip’s, Smethwick. The next parish priest was Fr. John Pinkman, who was to hold the position until 1969 when he was succeeded by Fr. Michael Jordan.
Fr. Michael Jordan: a visionary
At this point in the writing of the parish history, it is distinctly relevant to cite, and emphasize, the greatness of Fr. Michael Francis Jordan. A true Christian, he was born on the 20th of February, 1929, in Smethwick, Staffordshire; ordained to the priesthood on the 12th of June, 1955; and appointed parish priest of St. Joseph the Worker on the 25th of January, 1969.
Fr. Jordan arrived with his housekeeper, Miss Pamela Read, who was from the south of England. Individually and jointly, the priest and his housekeeper were to be an invaluable asset to the parish for ensuing decades. Fr. Jordan’s love of music and his careful homilies kept parishioners involved, while one of Pamela’s contributions to the life of the parish was teaching around 300 children for their First Confession, First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
The church building on Kirby Corner Rd was always intended to be a temporary structure, and as the University of Warwick became established and began to spread a new building was required. A site on De Montfort Way was chosen and, not without difficulties, a new church and presbytery began to rise. The church was opened on 8th September, 1981, by Bishop Joseph Cleary. A hall was later added. All of this was done under the care and direction of Fr. Jordan, and he remained as Parish Priest until 2011 when ill-health forced him to retire, and was replaced by Fr Harry Curtis.
Before he did retire, Fr. Jordan was very active in welcoming to St. Joseph the Worker and encouraging the newly-created Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Fr. Paul Burch and his community had taken the very brave journey of faith to move from the Church of England to the Catholic Church at the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI, and they found a home at St. Joseph’s, bringing with them new life and energy. It was possibly their presence that helped to keep St. Joseph the Worker open as a Parish church at a time when the shortage of priests was becoming more apparent and some parishes were being closed or amalgamated.
In September 2019, the community of the Ordinariate embarked on a new journey as Fr Paul Burch was appointed parish priest at the church of the Precious Blood and All Souls, in Chapelfields, thus bringing the fruitful and active involvement with St Joseph to an end. However, the bonds and relationships forged over many years by the parishioners of both sides are still strong, and our hearts will not forget easily our brothers and sisters whose new home is less than 2 miles away.
When Fr Jordan retired, it was decided to combine the role of Parish Priest of St. Joseph the Worker with that of Catholic Chaplain at the nearby Warwick University, and in 2012 Fr. Harry Curtis was appointed in a dual position. The parish community greatly benefits from the presence of students from the University, as well as other visitors, and it was with great joy and satisfaction that the church was dedicated by Archbishop Bernard Longley on 1st May, 2018, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
Under the guidance of Fr Harry, the parish flourished and attracted more members of the congregation. He especially was adamant that the parish had a part to play for the student population, and welcomed the initiative to have a new student residence next to the church.
When the pandemic of Covid-19 paralysed the whole country, the new technologies helped the parish to stick together by streaming the Mass online, a feat that has been part of the life of the parish since then.
In August 2020, Fr Harry was appointed to be the parish priest of two new parishes in Oxfordshire, and he was replaced by Fr Stephen Day, who was also in charge of the parish of St Thomas More. To help him run the parish efficiently, the Diocese appointed Fr Peter Conley as assistant priest of the parish, as well as assistant chaplain to Deacon David Palmer, who took over the role of chaplain for the Catholic community at the University of Warwick. In August 2022 Fr Stephen Day was moved and became the Parish Priest of St Peter’s Leamington Spa and Our Lady’s, Lillington and the new Parish Priest is Fr Simon Baker.
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In his last address to the congregation, we can see Fr Harry’s sense of humour which made a deep impression on the character of the parish:
“Dear Friends,
Fr Harry on the day of the Consecration of the church
When I was being trained as a priest we were given several instructions about preaching, most of which I have forgotten (what do you mean, you had guessed that!), but one was, “If you haven’t struck oil in eight minutes, stop boring.” I have been here in St. Joseph’s for over eight years, and I suppose if I haven’t struck oil in that time then I am never going to and I need to move on. If I have struck oil then my job is done.
I have been reflecting on many memories of my time here. Obviously, the stand-out memory is the Dedication of the church on 1st May, 2018. It was one of the high points of my life, and I thank everyone again who played any part in it (and it was a whole-parish effort). If ever there was oil struck, that was the evening.
There have also been very moving celebrations of funerals, marriages, baptisms, confirmations, first Holy Communions, adult receptions and these memories are precious to me. The Parish Mission was a special time too.
But it is the companionship that has really meant so much: the summer fun days; the parish outings; the BBQs and New Year’s Eve parties. I remember:
- arriving in the parish and finding the house completely stripped of furniture and carpets, with only an answerphone that seemed forever to have a couple of dozen messages awaiting my attention
- our parish trip to see the Blackpool lights. We were ready to leave in order to get home in time for a meal, but we just stayed for five minutes to see the lights turned on. Then when we tried to go we got stuck in traffic. It took us three hours to get away from the front in Blackpool, and I can promise that I have no desire to see those lights again!
- those barn dances – need I say more?
- the Easter Vigil when we got outside to find that the Easter fire had already burned away and I had to try to light the Easter Candle from a few glowing embers.
- the Corpus Christi Processions from the University to St. Joseph’s and the reactions of shoppers as we went past Tesco (ranging from heckling to reverence).
- the wonderful trip to Tyburn Convent and Westminster Cathedral, when the rain poured down and we scraped the coach as we went (I suspect, the wrong way) down a narrow street
- the surprise 60th birthday party
- the karaoke party when I was persuaded to sing “Bachelor Boy”
- losing a couple of people on the trip to York when they went to the wrong coach park. How we laughed!
Precious memories! Most of all, I remember the friendship and support that I have always received from so many people. There are too many people to thank personally and anyway I don’t want to embarrass anyone by naming names (and one person especially who won’t allow me to name her). Many people have said and written very nice things to me over the last few weeks, and I thank you very much, but whatever has been achieved in this parish over the last eight or nine years has been a community effort inspired by the Holy Spirit. The team done good! May God always bless you all and guide you to show His love in Coventry and beyond.
As St. Thomas More wrote to his daughter, “Pray for me, as I will for thee, that we may merrily meet in heaven”.
May God bless you and keep you safe.”
The future of St. Joseph the Worker
What does the future hold? That is, of course, in the hands of God. Let us pray that we may always be open to His will and His guidance.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!
It is truly right that we should give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
You love the Church and make her holy, the Bride of Christ, foreshadowed in visible buildings, so that, rejoicing as the mother of countless children, she may be given her place in your heavenly glory.
We pray that in your kindness you may bless this house of prayer and be pleased to dwell here,
to build each of us as living stones into the living temple of your Holy Spirit, supported by the perpetual help of your grace and shining with the glory of a life that is acceptable to you.
We make our prayer through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Taken from the Liturgy of the Mass)