Parish
St Anne’s Church in Blackburn is a Roman Catholic parish with deep roots in the local community. It was founded in 1849 as a mission from St Alban’s Church and originally served in a combined church-and-school building on Paradise Street before the current structure was built. The magnificent church we see today—designed by the Manchester firm Hill, Sandy & Norris in a Lombard Romanesque style—was completed in December 1926, with seating for around 800 people. Following a devastating arson attack in December 2000, the building was lovingly rebuilt and reopened in June 2004, though now with a reduced capacity of about 200 worshippers. Since that restoration, St Anne’s has formed a single parish with Sacred Heart Church and is served from there, remaining an active centre of worship and community life in Blackburn’s Catholic Diocese of Salford.
Today, the parish celebrates one Sunday Mass at St Anne’s (12:30 pm), with additional services at Sacred Heart Church (including a Saturday vigil at 6:15 pm and Sunday morning Mass at 10:30 am). Beyond worship, the parish plays a vital role in community life, connecting closely with St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, offering pastoral support, and welcoming involvement in spiritual and social initiatives.
