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St. Augustine of Hippo Roman Catholic Church

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This fine modern church serves the Catholic community in St. Austell and the surrounding areas of this part of Cornwall. It is the place of worship for Roman Catholics living in St. Austell and also for those in the surrounding area, including Lostwithiel, Fowey, Par, Mevagissey, Bugle, Nanpean and the many surrounding villages. It is the parish church for the weekly Sunday Eucharist where we gather to praise God and to be nourished with the Word of God and the Sacrament. It is also a place of daily worship and where people gather together to celebrate the baptism of new members, the marriage of parishioners and the funerals of the faithful departed.

 

The church is dedicated to St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the great early teachers and preachers of the faith, because it was established by an order of religious priests, the Canons Regular of the Lateran, who trace their origins back to St. Augustine and look upon him as their fatherfounder. At one time a great many of the catholic churches in Cornwall were run by the Canons Regular, based at their Abbey of St. Mary in Bodmin.

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A Brief History of the Parish

During the middle of the 19th century, Catholic worship in this area consisted of the occasional Mass in private homes. The first chapel, built in 1913 and dedicated to St. Augustine of Hippo was built on a site in Ranelagh Road. Later. In 1937, the present church site was purchased and a church built here. 1960 saw the establishment of the Parish with a presbytery and its first resident priest. During this period of expansion in St. Austell, churches were established at Fowey (1914), Par (1935) and Mevagissey (1953). In 1975 the church at St. Austell was extended to accommodate the growing number of Catholics and to provide accommodation for social activities. During the late eighties it was decided to sell the outlying churches and centralise Catholic worship in the area. The present church was built and consecrated on 6th May 1990.

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Visitors to St. Augustine’s are always most welcome. We hope they will find a walk around our church interesting, will take the opportunity to spend a moment or two absorbing the quiet atmosphere of this House of God and to say a prayer for the parish community that worships here, that it may be a living witness to the love of Christ and all that this church stands for.

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