The Church of St. Vincent de Paul replaces an existing church on a prominent, but difficult sloping site in Thornliebank.
It is planned for 850 people and incorporates a spacious sanctuary, 2 side altars, 3 shrines, a baptistery, sacristy, a spacious narthex and a choir gallery.
The Church is situated at the top part of the sloping site between the existing Church and the boundary wall, the long access of the Church being at right angles to the main and spacious road. The main entrance to the Church is approached by semi-monumental twin open staircases. Two side entrances are also provided.
The Church takes the form of a rectangular cube with low side chapels and spacious narthex and choir gallery being at the opposite or entrance end.
Both internally and externally, the building derives its character from the use of structural steel, brick facings and hard woods, its design being semi-modern. Internally, there is extensive use of rich marble and panelled plaster work; the oak and rich coloured glass provides an interior similar to those built in the period between the two world wars.
The interior is particularly enhanced by the marble work on the high altar the side altars, pulpit, Communion rail, the large and expansive coloured window behind the choir and the large decorated oak Baldacchino backed by an onyx reredos.
Jack A. Coia
A few short notes will suffice to explain the circumstances affecting the area around Thornliebank before it attained its own parochial status in 1942, prior to which it was an outlying district of St. Mary’s parish Pollokshaws.
Until the year 1908, Thornliebank was a sequestered country village (“the model village it was called”) unconnected with Glasgow and Pollokshaws by any kind of road transport. For local Catholics these were difficult years for Mass and school attendance.
The early 1930’s brought a great change to the neighbourhood with the construction of Carnwadric housing scheme and part of Orchard Park. To meet the spiritual needs of the increased number of Catholics, Canon de Becker, then Parish Priest of Pollokshaws, obtained at the beginning of 1932 the use of Thornliebank Hall for the celebration of Sunday Mass. This arrangement confirmed the area as an active part of St. Mary’s. Soon afterwards, in late 1935 or early 1936, the Archdiocese eagerly accepted the opportunity of purchasing the Hall and it became a chapel of ease attached to Pollokshaws.
And so it continued to be until 1942 when the late Archbishop MacKintosh, acting on advice of Canon Lawton, Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Pollowshaws since the death of Canon de Becker in January 1936 decided to erect a new parish in the district. The late Fr. Daniel O’Keefe, then assistant in St Charles, was appointed its first parish priest and at his request St. Vincent de Paul was chosen as the titular saint. The new parochus applied all his energy and faculties to the gladsome project of forming this his first charge into a truly active and zealous parish. Soon after his arrival, the district of Jenny Lind came into being. In the last few months of his stay in St. Vincent’s he was assisted by Fr. Denis Garrity, but in 1947 Fr. O’Keefe was transferred to St. Alphonsus and he and Fr. Garrity were replaced by Fr. Joseph McErlain as Parish Priest and Fr. Michael O’Connell.
For two years they remained together doing great work in the parish, but in 1949 Fr. O’Connell was transferred to St. Michael’s and was replaced by Fr. Gerald McCallion who assisted Fr. McErlain in consolidating and extending the progress made by their predecessors. It was during their joint labours that important additions were made to the Parish in the districts of Eastwood and Mansewood, which were transferred from St. Mary’s in 1952. Unfortunately in early 1954, Fr. McErlain was compelled to retire through ill health and was replaced by Fr. James Sweeney.
Meanwhile, two new schemes had started rapidly building in Arden and Woodfarm, which were ultimately to increase the Catholic population of the Parish to almost 5,000. In August 1954 the newly ordained Fr. James Quinn was appointed to St. Vincent’s and laboured for three years, very fruitfully, for souls in the new districts and Carnwadric. Fr. Quinn left for Maryhill in April 1957 being replaced by Fr. John McKee. Later in year, Fr. McCallion terminated his long and fruitful ministry in St.Vincent’s by going to St. Charles and was succeeded by Fr. John O’Sullivan.
Prior to this, however, His Grace the Archbishop, Donald Campbell, had deemed it necessary for a larger church to be built to cope with the spiritual needs of the increased population. In September, Mr Coia was entrusted to undertake the design of a new church to be built adjacent to the previous one, which was now almost 100 years old. On Sunday the 21st December 1958 the important ceremony of the Solemn Laying of the Foundation Stone was performed by the Archbishop.
The announcement was made by the Archbishop that the Solemn Opening of the new Church would, under his presidency, take place on Sunday 24th April 1960, brought sentiments of exceeding joy and gratitude to the hearts of the priests and parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul.
O'Keefe, Rev. Daniel, 1942-1947
McErlain, Rev. Joseph, 1947-1954
Sweeney, Rev. James, 1954-1968
Cahill, Rev. Thomas, 1968-1986
Coyle, Rev. Joseph, 1986-1994
Currie, Rev. David, 1994-1997
Docherty, Rev. James, 1994-1999
Sweeney, Rev. Anthony, 1997-1998
Oscar de la Torre SX, Rev. Gerard, 1999-2000
Tedeschi, Rev. Sabatino, 2000-2005
Hill, Rev. Gerard 2005 -
ASSISTANT PRIESTS
Garrity, Rev. Denis, 1946-1947
O'Connell, Rev. Michael J., 1947-1949
McCallion, Rev. Gerald P., 1949-1957
Quinn, Rev. Joseph, 1954-1957
O'Sullivan, Rev. John, 1957-1966
McKee, Rev. John J., 1957-1969
Quinn, Rev. James, 1960-1965
Gallagher, Rev. Daniel M., 1965-1966
Henry, Rev. Patrick J., 1966-1967
Phillips SMA, Rev. Gerard, 1966-1980
MacKinnon, Rev., Donald, 1967-1970
Burns, Rev. John J., 1969-1978
Bradley, Rev. Robert, 1970-1971
Meagher, Rev. Francis, 1971-1973
Mallon, Rev. Francis, 1978-1983
McCue Rev. Gerard, OSB, 1983-1985
Sharkey, Rev. Michael, 1983
McBride, Rev. Peter, 1988-1991
Doherty, Rev. James, 1991-1994
Duffy SX, Rev. Patrick, 1999-2000