In the beginning...

1845 - The Byrne family of Irish Row open their home for Mass.

1867 - A Station is opened at Whitwood, served from Pontefract, and first mentioned in 1870 Directory of the Diocese of Beverley.

1870 - At the Rising Sun Innn, Whitwood, a Committee is formed to draw up plans for a School Chapel at Normanton Common; it was proably completed during that year.

1871 - A Chapel of Ease opens in Whitwood, but with no resident priest services are led by the Jesuits from Pontefract (and later Wakefield) - although the priests concerned may have been members of the German Province.

1885  - As the last Jesuit priest leaves, he reports that the Whitwood Mission covered 55 square miles, and that from 177 households, with a population of about 800, the (two) Sunday masses had an average attendance of 250. The school housed 350 children.

1885 - Our first Parish Priest - Father Frederick Herfkens - takes up residence.

The following clip, from Providing Priests for the People - Pontefract and Wakefield Deaneries was created by the Diocese of Leeds, in 2007, to form part of an information DVD for parishes during the restructuring of the Pontefract and Wakefield Deaneries. The clip, narrated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Arthur Roche, outlines the foundation of the Normanton Catholic Parish.