Middlesbrough’s St Mary’s Cathedral Celebrates Ruby Jubilee

On the evening of Friday 15 May, Bishop Marcus was joined by Bishop Emeritus Terence Patrick Drainey and clergy and lay faithful from across the Diocese of Middlesbrough and beyond, to celebrate a Holy Mass in Thanksgiving for 40 Years of St Mary’s Cathedral.

The Cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Augustine Harris on Sunday 15 May 1988. It was built in the suburb of Coulby Newham to replace an earlier town centre building which had become unsafe. The roof outline of the new building was designed to echo shape of the nearby landmark 1000-foot hill, Roseberry Topping!

Present at this significant Jubilee was Canon Patrick Harney, the first Parish Priest and later Administrator of the new Cathedral, who last year celebrated his own Platinum Jubilee of Ordination!

The Homily was preached by the Dean, Canon Paul Farrer. He spoke of the history and faith represented in the region now covered by the Diocese of Middlesbrough – from the Yorkshire Martyrs to the C19th Irish immigrants who came to the area seeking employment in the iron and steel works, to the present day Catholic community with the Cathedral at its heart. He acknowledged the uniqueness of the building – a place of belonging – and the importance of going out from there into the world, fortified by the Sacraments, to spread the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

After Holy Mass, all were welcomed to a social event with refreshments – and an expertly-iced cake – in the Parish Room!

Here’s the event in pictures (Photo credits: christopherphotobooth)

Holy Mass was sung using the beautiful and well-known Missa de Angelis chant.  Members of the Cathedral’s Children’s Choir (part of the National Schools Singing Programme) and Adult Choir led the singing. This included hymns, some of which had been sung at the Cathedral’s Dedication.

The Communion Motet was a setting by Anton Bruckner of the words prayed at the consecration of churches: Locus iste, a Deo factus est. inestimabile sacramentum. irreprehensibilis est. (This place was made by God an invaluable sacrament; it is beyond reproach.)

Director of Music Steven Maxson sang the Communion Chant: Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur, dicit Dominus; in ea omnis qui petit, accipit, et qui quaerit, invenit, et pulsanti aperietur. Alleluia. (My house shall be called a house of prayer, says the Lord; in here, every one who asks shall receive, and he who seeks shall find, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Alleluia.)

It was a wonderful Holy Mass at a Cathedral which is also dear to the heart of many from the Leeds Diocese, as it is the resting place of former St Patrick’s, Huddersfield Parish Priest, Mgr Kevin O’Brien, who was Bishop of Middlesbrough between 1981 and 1998.

Prayerful reflection, consultation and discernment has been ongoing for some months about a possible future union between the Dioceses of Leeds, Middlesbrough and Hallam. Contributions to the Bishop’s Online Consultation may be made via this link until 22 May 2026.