Mass Times
Sunday: 8am, 10am (po polsku) & 12.00pm
Monday: 8am
Tuesday: 8am & 7pm
Wednesday: 8am
Thursday: 8am
Friday: 8am & 7pm
Saturday: 9.30am
Saturday Vigil: 6pm
A brief history of Saint Peter’s Church.
1829 – Probably as a response to the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, Charles Brownlow granted an appropriate site in North Street, Lurgan, to the Very Reverend William O’Brien, Parish Priest, for the erection of a parish church.
1832 – Work on the new St Peter’s Church is well under way. Alex Richmond’s Map of Lurgan, 1832, shows two Catholic Churches close together, one in Dougher, and one in the Back Lane (North Street).
1833 – Dedication of the new St Peter’s on September 1st 1833 by the Most Reverend Dr Blake, Bishop of Dromore.
1864 – Parochial House was enlarged.
1867-69 – St Peter’s Church is greatly enlarged with the addition of a new Sanctuary and Transepts. The foundation stone of this major project, planned and undertaken by the Very Reverend William O’Brien, was laid by Bishop Leahy on June 29th 1867, and exactly two years later, Bishop Leahy dedicated the new additions.
1890-92 – A new extension to St Peter’s Church enlarged the nave bringing the seating capacity to 1,200. The imposing exterior architecture was complemented by a spacious interior of refinement and ideal proportion.
1897-1901 – The magnificent spire of St Peter’s Church, planned by a parish priest who had achieved so much in enlarging St Peter’s, was dedicated by Dr O’Neill, Bishop of Dromore, on August 25th 1901. The Reverend James O’Hare died in 1897 when the initial work on the spire had begun. The spire was completed during the pastorate of the Reverend Michael McConville.
1922-24 – Coinciding with the Golden Jubilee of the Right Reverend Dean Michael McConville, a new marble High Altar was installed, the Sanctuary was embellished by a very beautiful array of mosaics, and a marble Communion Rail erected in memory of the Catholic dead of Lurgan and District who lost their lives during the Great War of 1914-18.
1925-27 – The Sacristy was completely refurbished with pitch-pine compartments. A new Sacred Heart Altar was installed. The church interior was completely re-decorated to architectural instructions. The Tower and Spire were ‘pointed’. The Tympanum over the main entrance depicting Christ handing the keys to Saint Peter was carved, and the Papal Crest in stone carved over the door of the Tower.
1927 – St Peter’s Church, being free from debt on account of extraordinary generosity of parishioners, many of whom were of deep faith and modest means, was consecrated on Thursday 19th May 1927 by Most Reverend Dr Edward Mulhern, Bishop of Dromore, with the Solemn Celebrations of the Consecration taking place on Sunday 22nd May 1927, presided over by His Eminence Cardinal O’Donnell, Archbishop of Armagh.
1933 – The Centenary of the erection and dedication of St Peter’s Church was celebrated on Sunday 3rd September 1933 by a Solemn High Mass in the presence of Cardinal MacRory, Bishop Mulhern and a large gathering of Priests. The celebrant of the Mass was Reverend J P Burke, Deacon, Revered A J Sweeney; Sub-Deacon, Reverend J E Murtagh, Master of Ceremonies, Reverend David Gallery. All four priests had affiliation with Shankill Parish and Lurgan from childhood.
1958-59 – The Side-Altars, dedicated to the Sacred Heart and to Our Lady were embellished by appropriate mosaic designs.
1968 – Entire flooring within the church was replaced, the organ was remodeled, and the great spire and cross were examined and repaired.
1982 – On Sunday 26th December 1982, Bishop Francis Gerard Brooks consecrated the Altar of St Peter’s Church following the re-construction of the Sanctuary. A permanent marble altar now faces the congregation. An ambo fashioned from the marble of the original pulpit, and a marble chair made from the marble of the original altar, have been incorporated into the Sanctuary. The Reredos remains intact and the floor of the Sanctuary has been raised. The Baptismal Font now rests beside the Communion passage at the front of the Sanctuary.
1983 – On October 2nd 1983, special ceremonies were held to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Dedication of St Peter’s Church. Bishop Francis Gerard Brooks was the principal celebrant of a Mass of Thanksgiving. Twenty-six priests concelebrated, all of whom had strong affiliation with the church, either as parish priests, curates or natives of the parish.
