On Sunday 21 January 2024 at 11am, the centenary of the foundation of St Stephen’s in Manor Park was celebrated with a Mass led by Bishop Alan Williams sm. Parish priest Fr John Victor Drabeesan welcomed Bishop Alan, Sir Stephen Timms MP, representatives of the clergy from nearby churches and religious leaders from other denominations within the local community. The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, Nicola Brosnan, the headteacher from St Winefride’s Catholic Primary School, and her school operations manager Davin Savin, were also present.
During the Mass children from the parish offered baskets of gifts which were given to the local elderly housebound and needy.
The Mass was followed by a short address by Sir Stephen Timms in which he thanked the community for its support especially in relation to the London Citizens TELCO organisation. TELCO co ordinates campaigns to improve the lives of local people, leading various initiatives and of particular importance is its successful work in establishing the London Living Wage.
Around 500 people from the local community attended the service. A buffet was served incorporating foods from the many diverse communities represented in the parish. A special cake was created for the occasion by parishioner Anthony Fernando and cut by the Bishop Alan with suitable pomp. The venue was decorated to fit with the celebration.
Fr John is the successor of many priests at the parish, including Fr John Carmel Heenan (later Cardinal Heenan) and Fr Denis Hall, that East London legend whose ‘second religion’ (West Ham United Football Club) was known to generations, both Catholic and non-Catholic. Fr Sean Connolly, Fr John’s immediate predecessor, has been involved in London Citizens for over 20 years, and engages Catholic parishes and schools in community organising through The Centre for Theology and Community.
Bishop Alan, Sir Stephen Timms and Fr John with parishioners
Fr John had a message for parishioners: “It is a great privilege to be your parish priest celebrating the centenary of the St Stephen’s community with you. I am sure that the last 100 years have seen many changes both in the way in which we as Catholics worship and the diversity of our community. The parish is set in the heart of the East End of London and has faced many challenges over the years, and with the support of our strong faith and community we have risen to meet them. May God support us to grow our community in faith and strength through the ensuing years. God bless you all.”
A History of the Parish of Manor Park (1923-2023)
St Nicholas’ and St Stephen’s
A timeline….
1868: St Nicholas Industrial School, Gladding Road, opened and served by a resident chaplain.
1870 (July): St Nicholas Church opened.
1896: SS Peter & Paul, Ilford, took over responsibility for celebrating a parish Mass at St Nicholas.
1908: Opening of St Winefride’s School.
1918 (27 August): Canonical erection of the Manor Park parish which now formed part of the Diocese of Brentwood (established 1917). A parish priest was appointed and Ilford relinquished responsibility for Manor Park.
1923 (27 December): Opening of the original St Stephen’s Church, known as Little Ilford to distinguish it from St Nicholas, Manor Park.
1934: Building of the Presbytery in Little Ilford Lane, to which the clergy from Gladding Road duly moved.
1959 (15 October): Opening of the present St Stephen’s Church.
1978 (1 June): Consecration of St Stephen’s Church.
2013: Closure of St Nicholas Church as a place of Catholic worship (subsequently used by Coptic Orthodox Church).
2024: St Stephen’s celebrates its centenary with a Mass led by Rt Rev. Alan Williams sm, Bishop of Brentwood.
Parish Priests:
1918-1928 Augustine Davidson (1st Parish Priest 1918)
1928-1937 John Sloane
1937-1947 John Carmel Heenan
1947-1949 Francis Heenan
1949-1950 Daniel Harnett
1951-1970 Vincent Hurley
1970-1976 John Duckett
1976-1984 Conrad Smith
1984-1991 Patrick Bennett
1991-1997 John Kennedy
1997-2006 Denis Hall
2006-2008 Martin Fletcher
2008-2021 Sean Connolly
2021- John Victor Drabeesan (Trivandrum)
Assistants:
1918-1919 Thomas Smith
1919-1920 Victor Albert Kesteloot (Bruges)
1920-1922 Arthur McMahon (Kilmore)
1922-1926 James Joseph O’Reilly (Kilmore)
1926-1927 Timothy Keany (Kilmore)
1927-1928 Myles O’Reilly
1928-1931 Charles McGovern (Kilmore)
1931-1933 Peter Gargan (Kilmore)
1933-1939 John Hibbert
1939-1940 James T. O’Reilly (Kilmore)
1940 Patrick Donohoe
1941-1944 William Evers
1944-1946 Eric Goldingay
1946-1947 Bernard Manning
1947-1948 Daniel Shanahan
1949-1951 Philip Finnegan S.S.C.
1951 Bernard Cunningham (Lancaster)
1951-1952 Francis Wilson
1952-1953 William Sheridan S.S.C.
1954-1955 J. Bossu (Lille)
1954-1958 John Harden
1958-1960 Gordon Godfrey
1960-1961 Vincent Darragh (Armagh)
1961-1964 Donal Sweeney (Armagh)
1962 John McCartan (Armagh)
1964-1966 Brendan Sheppard
1966 Terence Higgins
1967-1971 Patrick Taylor
1971 Peter Glancy M.H.M.
1971-1980 John Clifford
1980-1985 Colm Gallagher (Raphoe)
1985-1987 John Armitage
1987-1988 John Tuohy
1988-1993 James Linburgh
1993-1994 Paul Bhanji
1994-1995 Christopher Enemuo (Enugu)
1998-1999 Eamonn Power
2004-2006 George Cheeramkuzhy (Palai: Syro-Malabar Chaplain from 2005)
2007-2008 Anthony Onohua (Orlu: In Residence)
2012 Clement Nyarko (Kumasi: Pro tem)
2023 Jerold Savio Terrence (Trivandrum)
PERMANENT DEACON
1979-1982 Ronald O’Toole