More than 300 parishioners, clergy and guests from across the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton gathered at Our Lady of Ransom Church, Eastbourne, on Wednesday 8 July for a special Mass of Thanksgiving marking the centenary of the church’s consecration, celebrating 100 years since the church was solemnly dedicated as a house of prayer.
The joyful celebration brought together parishioners from the parish’s three churches, local civic representatives, clergy, ecumenical guests and friends from across the Deanery and Diocese, giving thanks for the enduring place Our Lady of Ransom holds at the heart of Catholic life in Eastbourne.
Welcoming the congregation, Parish Priest Fr Kevin Dring thanked everyone for joining the celebrations, saying:
”It gives us great pleasure to welcome you all this evening and thank you for your support and friendship. Working with fellow Christians and others across our community is always a fruitful part of parish life... helping to build friendship and a strong sense of being part of the wider community in Eastbourne.”
He also paid tribute to the many parishioners whose hard work made the celebrations possible, adding: “Parish life is a big team effort—the more hands, the better!”
The church was filled to capacity for the Mass of Thanksgiving, with music led by the parish choir. At the conclusion of the liturgy, children from Year 4 at St Thomas a Becket Catholic Primary School offered a beautiful sung prayer to Our Lady.
Guests arriving for Mass were welcomed through a striking Ave Maria arch at the church entrance before celebrations continued in the parish hall and grounds. A beautifully decorated hall, complete with an Ave Maria banner and centenary celebration cake, provided the setting for a sumptuous international buffet prepared by parishioners, reflecting the rich diversity of the parish community. Members of the Eastbourne Deanery West Hub Youth joined parish volunteers in serving food and drinks throughout the evening.
Commemorative memorabilia featuring newly commissioned photographs of the church’s architecture, devotional spaces and artistic treasures also proved a popular attraction, with calendars, mugs, magnets, wall art and other keepsakes available to mark the occasion.
In a message sent for the celebration, Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde described Our Lady of Ransom as “a beautiful and much-loved place of worship in the heart of our town”, recognising its role as both a spiritual home and “a place of comfort, community, and welcome for so many people across Eastbourne.” He thanked the generations of clergy, volunteers and parishioners whose faith and dedication have strengthened the parish over many decades.
The centenary marked not only an important moment in the history of the church but also a celebration of a living parish community. As Our Lady of Ransom gives thanks for its past, it continues to look forward with hope, committed to proclaiming the Gospel and serving the people of Eastbourne as the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton continues its journey of renewal in prayer, formation and mission under the leadership of Bishop Stephen Wang.
The story of permitted Catholic worship in Eastbourne after the Catholic Emancipation Act 1829 is recognised as only having begun in 1867 when Fr Charles King relocated to the town and started to say mass in his home in Ceylon Place to serve the town’s growing Catholic community. Within two years in 1869, he oversaw the building of a small brick chapel dedicated to Stella Maris on Junction Road. Then in 1890 Fr Charles Stapley opened the first Our Lady of Ransom, a temporary church created from the town’s former market hall near Grove Road.
As the Catholic community continued to grow, land was purchased for a permanent church and the foundation stone of the present building was laid on 11 December 1900, and on 15 December 1901 the new church was opened by Bishop Francis Bourne, who would later become Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.
Designed by the distinguished Catholic architect Frederick Walters, Our Lady of Ransom is one of Sussex’s finest examples of Gothic Revival church architecture. Inspired by the great medieval churches of England, Walters’ design draws the eye heavenwards through its graceful proportions, lofty arches and beautifully crafted interior, creating a space that continues to inspire prayer and worship more than a century after it first opened.
The church was completed with the addition of its tower and spire in 1912, while the chancel, Lady Chapel and sacristy were added before its solemn consecration on 8 July 1926. That act of consecration permanently dedicated the building to the worship of God, making this centenary a particularly significant moment in the life of the parish.
Today, Our Lady of Ransom continues to stand at the heart of Catholic life in Eastbourne. From the small mission established more than 150 years ago has grown a thriving parish community whose commitment to prayer, worship, education, outreach and service remains as strong today as it was for those early clergy and parishioners.
Photo credit: © Peter Clarke. More images are available. If we have inadvertently included someone who should not be, please let us know news@eastbourne-stleonards.org.uk.