Church of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate
known as Olton Friary
Bishop William Bernard Ullathorne, the first Catholic bishop of Birmingham built St. Bernard's Seminary at Olton in 1873. In 1889 his successor moved the seminary to Oscott and the Franciscan Friars, Capuchin, bought the site and the parish came into being. They built and opened the church in 1929. Fr. Pascal OFM cap built the parish hall in 1955.
At 2.00pm on July 21st, 1970 the church was engulfed in flames. Most of the roof and all of the benches were destroyed. Through hard work and generous donations it was re-opened fifteen months later.
The Friars left on 10th January 1981 when the Sacred Heart Fathers and Brothers of Bétharram took over the running of the parish with Fr. Ted Simpson as parish priest.
October 4th 1990 saw the consecration of the church by the Rt. Rev. P. Leo McCartie, Bishop of Northampton, who as Auxiliary bishop of Birmingham, used to live just down the road.
Our parish provides for a very diverse range of parishioners with a children's Mass, a sung Mass and a youth Mass. Our active parish has many groups and activities catering for a wide variety of needs such as the SVP, CWL, a Justice and Peace Outreach group and three choirs to name but a few. In 2004 the parish hall was refurbished, with the addition of a unit for the disabled.
If you are new to the parish please feel welcome to come along to our fair trade parish coffee bar in the hall after each Mass.
I would like to give you a very warm welcome to this web site and to our parish.
God Bless Fr Ted Simpson SCJ
