Colette quarmby
My parents were married in the monastery in the 50's when they came over from France. I too was married there in the late 70's and went to St Francis Junior and Senior school until we moved to Denton. I have many fond memories of the monastery and its majestic beauty. It was an absolute crime that it was left to be neglected and vandalised. God bless the people who cared enough to resurrect this beautiful place.
Miss Zulekha Salloo
Gorton Monastery is nowhere near being the Taj Mahal. THe Taj Mahal is a Mausoleum to the Shah Jehan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is entirely constructed with white marbel. Originally the doors and windows of the Taj Mahal were inlaid with gold. Plus the Taj Mahal has watersways et cetera and one of the wonders of the world. The Gorton Monastery, however, has been a place of worship and is mostly constructed with red bricks.
I am sure it will become a great architectural monument but it does not compare to the Taj Mahal.
scott.benns
best building iv seen really is a shame me only been in it few times but wot a place im so glad its being restored
Len Dower
I was born in Brook House Flats in 1950,I use to escort my cousins Steven & Anita Fitzgerald, they went to the Monastery High School in the 70's.
I remember standing on the steps of The Monastery as a young child and wondering why did they build this in Gorton?
John Morgan
I have lived in Australia for the past 37 years but in the early sixtys my maternal granmother ran the chippy opposit on Gorton Lane and my paternal Great Grandfather ran a pub on the site Brook House flats were built and according to the family legend donated one of the statues that stood outside the Monastery, it would be nice if it is still there.My family also had several local pubs in Gorton and I worked at Peacocks and attended Oppenshaw Tech.again in the early sixtys. Good luck with your work.
Michael Massey
I was baptised,became an altar boy and educated also married at St Francis.Inthe early 60s christmas midnight mass was televised by the bbc. Is it possible to obtain a recording of that event? That would really bring home to people what it was like.
David Gridley
The Monastery is a wonderful part of our English, Catholic heritage , and must be preserved. It is also a great Pugin masterpiece. Good luck with the restoration!
Maurice Rushby
I would like to identify the background music used in this programme. I recognised the Durufle Requiem. What were the other items?
Sean Paul Kennedy
It makes my heart swell with pride and I live far away in Llanelli, South Waled. I am Catholic and I would love to visit one day. God bless our Pope.
Alan Kirk
My father attended school in the early twenties and i have photographs of him in class form outside the school part of the monastry.
I dont live in Manchester anymore as i am now in Guernsey, but whenever i come back to Manchester, there is a "pull" for me to visit St Francis, and i would like to keep finding out whats happening to the place.
PETER KING
I WAS BORN 30 YARDS FROM ST FRANCIS GORTON MONASTERY AND ALSO WAS AN ALTAR BOY IN THE CHURCH,I AM 61YEARS OLD NOW BUT CAN NEVER FORGET ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES OF ALL TIME,I ALSO REMEMBER WHEN MIDNIGHT MASS WAS ALSO TELEVISED LIVE FROM THE MONASTERY BUT CANT REMEMBER THE YEAR ?
Sharon Davies
I think it is such a shame to have let this beutiful building go to ruin over the last 20 years. Too many wonderful buildings have gone over the years and are now just memories to some people.
Alan Strickland.
The lovely young lady who was to become my wife had worshipped at The Church of St. Francis since her arrival in Gorton as a young girl in the mid 1960's. The area at the time reflected its industrial heritage,and was a massive change from the sunkissed Mediterranean island of Malta where she had been born. Yet the Monastery was a glorious landmark visible across East Manchester,a haven of peace for troubled minds and a refuge for those needing succour or tranquility, a subliminal oasis of calm where problems could be shared and both spiritual and practical guidance along life's rocky road could be sought. In October 1973 as a young police officer on the "C" division, in Manchester, I met her and accompanied her to mass even though I was a non Catholic. The atmosphere was wondrous and I became transfixed and fell under the spell of this holy place and its devout and kindly Franciscan community and with the help of the lovely, understanding and generous Fr. Walter I converted into the R.C. faith. We attended mass every week upto our final mass when as a lay reader I took part in mass there on the 29th November 1989 the weekend when the Monastery ceased as a place of public worship. We were married within this beautiful building in January 1976 and our wedding album records the stunning visual appearance of the wonderful altar and the magical internal aspects of this marvelous structure and we must have been blessed by its presence because in January 2006 we celebrate thirty years of happy marriage. Both our lovely children, now adults and in professions, were baptised and worshipped there. Our son served for many years on the altar and even though we moved away from Gorton in 1986 we continued to worship at the Monastery until it closed.
As long as I live the Monastery has a special place in my heart and I retain so many fond memories which seem to surface at Holy times of the year such as Christmas and Easter. I recall the Easter Vigil Mass when outside in the garden Br. Malachy set fire to his somewhat dubious beard as he attemted to light a brazier, and my heart is filled with joy when I think about the good works I saw done by such stalwarts as Br. Gerard who I sometimes ferried around the area on missions of mercy.
I continued to visit the area on a regular basis and over the years I have been gutted by the decay and deterioration and the loss of this wonderful place of worship to the citizens of the area. There have been many suggestions and proposals for regeneration however my one regret is that The Monastery is no longer a place of worship for the Catholic community.
I hope and pray the building is restored to enable future generations to marvel at its grandeur and maybe consider its impact on the development and support of this warm inner city area of old Cottonopolis.
Alan Strickland, December 2005.
O'Grady
I walked through this place in 1995 it was smashed and crumbling. The huge doors were ajar and it was in shameful neglect.However it was a magic experience I was enthralled by its power and grace. I was touched by its majestic, spiritual beauty. As the sun shone through those gaping windows I was ushered by the hand of god. Wow. I'll never forget this wonderous place. Good Luck
Malachy
Scott Law
The Charity I work for voluntered some time to renovate the Gorton Monastery Trust surrounding Gardens and as a result we got to tour the inside of the monastery which was really nice as this is a spectacular work of art
