SCHOOLCHILDREN at St Peter's Catholic Primary School in Woolston have unveiled a memorial bench for a beloved parish priest.

Pupils at the Woolston primary school were present when a memorial bench was uncovered, which has been dedicated to Father John Gildea. 

Fr Gildea served the community as parish priest of St Peter and St Michael from September 1998 until his death in October 2022, aged 84, following a short illness.

The beloved community priest died just one year before his 60th anniversary in the priesthood, having been ordained as a priest in 1963.

According to the Archdiocese of Liverpool - of which Warrington is a part - a service of dedication was led by the new parish priest, Fr Mark Drew.

The Archdiocese said Fr Drew read: “Father John Gildea much loved and missed parish priest. He loved to hear the children pray and sing and we know he is watching over us.”

After the blessing, the children sang Our God Reigns, which was one of Fr John’s favourite hymns - they also sang the hymn at his funeral, which took place at St Oswald’s in Padgate.

After the blessing, headteacher at St Peter’s, Helen Lea, said: “The children use the prayer garden for individual prayer, class collective worship and whole school collective worship.

“The children can now sit on the bench and remember Fr Gildea.”