ST.
MICHAEL'S PARKHEAD ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
1350, Gallowgate
Standing
atop a tapered brick pier and looking down upon the Gallowgate is the figure of
the patron Saint of this church –
the Archangel St. Michael. The
building itself, largely in brown-red brick with some stone detail, was designed
by Alexander McAnally, and was built in the late 1960s.
Although the church was not formally opened until May of the following
year by Archbishop Scanlan, the first mass in the incomplete building was held
at midnight on 24th December, 1969.
In the sanctuary, two stained glass windows by John Quigley flank the
altar – Our Blessed Lady and St. Michael.
Another depicting St. Mungo is at the rear.
Like so many other Catholic churches in east Glasgow, St. Michael’s started as a mission from St. Mary’s in Abercromby Street. As with most of the smaller hamlets to the east, the Parkhead population had risen dramatically with the full onset of industrialisation, particularly with the huge Parkhead Forge on its doorstep. Inevitably, a substantial proportion of the new residents were Catholics whose needs could not be so easily ministered to by St. Mary’s.
A
combined church and school was built in Camlachie in 1876 to house the mission,
and replaced in 1900 when a new church was built in Salamanca Street. This was intended to be a temporary structure, but
circumstances prevented its replacement for 69 years!
Eventually, when the building restrictions following the Second World War
were eased, it became possible for the vision to be realised.
Foresight had allowed the parish priest of 1921 to obtain the site of the
present church, and the long awaited permanent home for St. Michael’s
congregation was at long last built for them.
“Centenary of St. Michael’s Parkhead, Glasgow 1876-1976.” Souvenir Brochure
© 2005 Gordon Adams
GALLERY:
View
towards the High Alter
View
towards the rear of the sanctuary and the stained glass window of St. Mungo.
The Sacred Heart and Lady Altars
Station
of the Cross - VIII
The
church houses several shrines to a variety of saints - this is St. Anne, the
mother of Mary