The Parish of the Holy Cross and St Helen Ashton is located in Ashton-under-Lyne and is made up of two Churches. St Ann’s Church, which is on Burlington Street, and St Christopher’s Church, which is on Lees Road.

We offer a range of services and worship opportunities throughout the week, however, here are our main Sunday mass times:

St. Ann’s Church: 5.30pm (Saturday Vigil), 11am, 1pm (Polish Mass)

St Christopher’s Church: 9am

There are several ways to get involved in our Parish community. You can join one of our ministries in any of the churches, such as the choir, hospitality, or liturgical ministries. We also have various social and educational groups you can participate in. Feel free to speak with our Parish Office or visit our website to learn more about these opportunities.

Yes, we organize various social and community events throughout the year. These may include picnics, fundraisers, holiday celebrations, and more. Stay updated by checking our newsletter, website, or social media platforms for announcements about upcoming events.

Yes, donations are always appreciated and help support the work of our Parish. You can make a donation during Mass, via the donate button on the website at the bottom of the page or contact our Parish Office to inquire about other donation options.

Baptism is about bringing your child into the Family of God. Your first step is simply to come along to Mass at the weekend and make yourself known to the priest afterwards. Sunday Masses are probably the best as there are also better family facilities. This gives you an opportunity to get to know some of that "Family of God" that you are asking for your child to join. More info available on the Baptism page.

The simple answer is "no" - whilst Catholic schools give priority to baptised Catholic children, there may well be other places which are available to non-Catholic children. The important thing to remember is that Baptism is a life-commitment, not simply a ticket to a Catholic school. Contact the schools for full details of their admissions policies.

Yes. We welcome families at our Masses, and this means we must be tolerant, within reason, of a certain amount of noise from children. If they need a break, we have a space in the foyer at the back of all Churches where you can take them for a short "time out" (but do, please, supervise them at all times).

Yes. Whilst most of the children on our Sacramental Programme are from our own Catholic primary schools, the Sacramental Programme is organised in the Parish by our catechists so no one misses out.

Come along to Mass and make yourself known to one of the priests afterwards, without any obligation of commitment. They will then be able to discuss what options exist based on your personal circumstances.

Yes. We have the Priest and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Eucharistic Ministers) who take Holy Communion to the sick and housebound, and we are always happy to add people to our lists.

Yes. Most hospitals have a dedicated chaplaincy service, but you will need to let the nursing staff know you would like a visit from the Catholic chaplain - they are unlikely to ask you if you do not speak to them first. If you would like your own parish priest to come and visit, again just let him know. If you need urgent pastoral care in hospital, ask the nursing staff to call the on-call Catholic priest.

Speak to the priests or to any of the stewards. We welcome volunteers - indeed, the parish could not run without them. Please note that some volunteers are required to complete a DBS check before helping out.

All our churches have a loop system for the hard of hearing, and ramped access. All have accessible toilet facilities.

Yes, electronic copies are available on the Parish Website, which you can find here.

If you feel we have let you down in any way, please tell us as we cannot put it right otherwise. However, please do not shout at our volunteers, even if you think they have made the mistake. They work so hard and give so generously of their time.

If you have a complaint contact the Parish Office - or if you feel it is serious enough you may contact the Diocese directly. However, please note the Diocese may return the matter to the Parish if they deem it to be of local concern.

For any safeguarding concerns, please find relevant contacts here.