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| HistoryUntil the School was built in 1929/30, the Catholic Community of Bentley attended the church of St. Peter in Chains in Princes Street, Doncaster. The Foundation Stone for the School was laid by Bishop Cowgill on May 16th 1929, and the school was officially opened by Dr. Downey, Archbishop of Liverpool, assisted by Bishop Cowgill, in the presence of Fr. T. Bentley, Fr. Holdright and Fr. Flynn of St. Peter's. The School Hall was used as a Chapel of Ease and was made ready for Mass after the Saturday Social Evening had been held. In 1937 Bentley became part of the Woodlands' Parish and Canon J. Donkers, the Parish Priest appointed his curate, Fr. P. Falvey to the pastoral charge of the Bentley area, including Sprotborough and Scawsby. In 1946 Fr. P. Falvey was appointed the first Parish Priest of Bentley and a temporary residence was purchased for him on Askern Road. A wooden hut adjacent to the School was purchased in 1950 for the purpose of celebrating Holy Mass on Sundays and weekdays and for Social Events. In 1952 Fr. Falvey negotiated the purchase of the existing Presbytery together with enough land on which to build a church and a church hall. In 1957 Fr Falvey was transferred to Sheffield and was replaced at Bentley by Fr. M. Farrelly and an assistant Fr. A Davies. Fr. R. Justice replaced Fr. Davies in June 1960. By 1959 Fr. Farrelly had replaced the wooden Mass Hall adjacent to the school by the beautiful In March 1962 Fr. E Geaney was transferred from Goldthorpe; Fr. Justice remained as assistant priest. In August 1963 Fr. Justice was appointed Parish Priest of Thornhill and was succeeded at Bentley by Fr. B. Collins who as Bentley for 6 years as Curate and Chaplain to St. Peter's School, Cantley, before being appointed Parish Priest in Wheatley Hills. The parishioners worked hard to clear the debt on the church, raising funds from social evenings, concerts, Sales of work, Jumble Sales, Raffles, Bingo etc. The Social Event of the Year - the St. Patrick's Dance - was held in the Pavilion in the Park. The catering was done by the Union of Catholic Mothers - the driving force behind the scenes. The Bingo era and the weekly Tote were very popular and profitable and the debt on the church was cleared. Fr. Bartley (1969-1974) did a great deal for the Handicapped and for the Senior Citizens of the Parish. Fr Kevin Martin (Curate 1975-1977) founded the 'Over Sixties Club' which proved to be a great success and still meets every week in the Social Centre at the Homestead; Membership is open to all denominations. The Church, now free of debt, could be consecrated and the ceremony took place on the 27th June 1977. It was conducted by the Rt. Rev. William Wheeler, Bishop of Leeds, assisted by the Rt. Rev. Gerald Moverley, Auxiliary Bishop of Leeds. On 30th May 1980, the Diocese of Hallam was founded, independent of the Diocese of Leeds. The parishes in South Yorkshire and other areas became the Hallam Diocese which was divided into Deaneries. Bentley is in the Doncaster Deanery of which Rev. G. Harney is the Dean. Bishop G. Moverley was appointed the First Bishop of the Diocese of Hallam and after his death he was succeeded by the Rt. Rev. John Rawsthorne, Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool in 1997. In 1984 the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help celebrated its Silver Jubilee. The Golden Jubilee will be on the 16th July 2009. During his 36 years as Parish Priest of Our Lady's, Father Geaney celebrated his Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilee - a unique achievement. He retired in January 1998 in his 87th year, and now lives in a bungalow in Cusworth surrounded by his parishioners. The Rev. Fr. Jim Kennedy is now our Parish Priest and he lives in the Presbytery. |
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church we have today. The church was solemnly opened and blessed by Bishop Dwyer on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16th July, 1959, and was named 'Our Lady of Perpetual
Succour' - changed in recent years to 'Our Lady of Perpetual Help'.