St Joseph the Worker



Rev. Michael Jordan PP,   Email: father.jordan@gmail.com
1 De Montfort Way, Cannon Park, Coventry, CV4 7DU.  Tel: 024 76 419111
Masses:   Sunday 9am, 5pm.
Holydays 10.00am
Services:
Confession,  Baptism  by appointment.

80 and going Strong Feb 2008
When you look at Fr Michael Jordan it is hard to believe he is 80. Fr Michael has now been a Priest for over 53 years, 40 of these at St Joseph the Worker in Coventry. He is the 5th eldest priest still working in the Diocese. As soon as he could talk Fr Michael remembers always wanting to be Priest and was ordained in 1955 aged 26.
He puts his good health down to regular gentle exercise and being very well cared for by his housekeeper, Pamela. At 80 he still manages a 20 mile bike ride on his days off, weather permitting, and every day goes for a 30 min walk often meeting parishioners. Many years ago he cycled 131 miles in a single day. He has climbed all the Welsh 3000s, i.e. those 15 mountains which have a height over 3000 ft. His recent conquests include learning how to use the internet (father.jordan@gmail.com). His birthday celebrations have included the Coventry Deanery and the Catenians. On his actual birthday, 20th February, he concelebrated mass with Father Michael Brandon, PP at a neighbouring parish (All Souls). At the 9am mass on Sunday 22nd his Parishioners celebrated his birthday presenting him with a gift to mark the occasion and thanked him for all his hard work. After Mass the occasion was marked with tea and coffee and a special birthday cake. The pictures show him with some of his Parishioners.  He wants to thank everybody, especially his Parish for their support.
Click on pictures for larger image
       
Photographs for Fairtrade recognition  June 2008


Robert Change departs from Warwick University 26/4/8 Presentation after Saturday 10am mass

 
 
St Jospeph the Worker
Click on pictures below for larger image:

Drawing by Bernard Hopkins to celebrate opening Tuesday 8th September 1981

 

     
               Chritsmas 2008    Easter 2008

The History of the Parish
(Taken from blessing  of church booklet, on 8/9/1981 by Bishop Joseph Cleary)
September 1979                       September 1980          September 1982
about to begin                                                            Completion
Inside 1981                       Image of St Joesph         One of the Door panels

No one can get very far in life without the help of friends. From the begining of our parish in 1962 both the Methodists and the parish of St. Stephen(Church of England) were a great help and support to us. The Methodists used to lend us their premises for the instruction of our children for first Confession and first Holy Communion as well as for the meetings of our Union of Cathlic Mothers.  It was a sad day when they decided they must leave the area.  St Stephen's  Mother's Union used to invite our Mothers to all their functions, and the friendship between St. Stephen's and the parish of St. Joseph the worker has continued to develop and grow to this day.
At that time the parish had no premises of its own but Father Boulton, the first parish priest of St. Joseph the Worker continued to do what the priests of All Souls had been doing when they came out to supply Sunday Mass in the area before the parish was founded.  He celebrated Mass in various hired buildings such as the community Centre in Queen Margarets Road , the old Charter Primary School near the shops in Charter Avenue and one Christmas*in the Phantom Coach Public House.
It took four years after the founding of the parish to obtain a site for St. Joseph the Worker Church. However the city authorities would allow only a temporary building designed to last not more than ten years without special care,on a site which was also temporary. This was because they were not yet ready to develop the area and did not want to predjudice any future development they might carry out.
No sooner was the temporary Church completed at Easter 1966 when Father Boulton was appointed as Parish Priest of St. Philip's Smethwick. He was succeeded here in St. Joseph the Worker by Father Pinkman,but no sooner had he completed a very successful Planned Giving Campaign which set the parishioners sights on a future permanent church and he Was appointed Parish Priest of Stone in Staffordshire. So in 1969 the writer of this story of the parish was appointed Parish Priest of St. Joseph the Worker and has been left here to obtain a permanent site and build a permanent Church and Presbytery,                                         ,
This present building is a witness to the faith of the parishioners of St. Joseph the Worker, their perseverance in the face of difficulties, their generous and willing cooperation and their gratitude to God. No doubt the experiences of these years since the parish began nineteen years ago has been good training for the work that God is asking us to do in the present and will be asking us to do in the future.
Father M.F. Jordan .