'We are blessed' – Archbishop's visit tops off celebration of Catholic life in Cannock

As well as St Mary and St Thomas More being 100 years old, this week marks 151 years since the founding of the Catholic Mission in Cannock and Archbishop of Birmingham Bernard Longley visited to say Mass and join in the celebrations.

He visited and blessed a special 'Jubilee Garden' and helped bury a time capsule on the theme of "Celebrating the Catholic Life of Cannock – Past, Present and Future". It will be situated in the garden of the church, in Hallcourt Crescent, off Walsall Road.

An exhibition of the history of the church is also present inside, with material from the parish and diocesan archives, including photographs, memorabilia and artefacts from parish organisations and activities displayed. A timeline of the past parish priest up until the incumbent, Father Peter Weatherby, has been collated and will be put on a memory stick.

Archbishop Longley said: "It was a real honour to come and visit the Cannock parish and the two schools as well, meet the parishoners and celebrate the joyous occasion of 100 years of the church and 150 of the Catholic mission in the town."

Father Weatherby said: "It was a wonderful occasion and the culmination of a year of hard work by everyone involved, including a lot of people who have been around at this church a lot longer than I have and have contributed so much to the parish.

"The garden is beautiful and will greet visitors for a long time to come so I would like to thank all who have taken part in the celebrations and worked so hard to mark these two historic landmarks."