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Tributes pour in for popular parish priest

Ailsa Cranna
10/ 4/2008

CHURCH bosses are making special preparations for the crowds expected on Friday at the funeral of a well-loved priest.

A marquee has been set up in the grounds of St Peter and St Paul RC Church, in Park Road, Hope, to take the extra mourners attending the Requiem Mass for Father Peter Kitchen, 62, who died on April 4 in Salford Royal Hospital.

The marquee will be fitted out with a sound system and large screens.

Park Road, from St George’s Crescent at one end to Portland Road at the other, will be partially closed from 10am to 1pm to cope with the expected traffic flow, although there will be access for residents.

Father Kitchen suffered a stroke on Thursday, March 27 on his 62nd birthday and was admitted to the hospital where he had a heart attack that same night.

He died a week later after another heart attack.

He had been parish priest at St Peter and St Paul Church for 19 years.

Born in Blackburn, he studied at the Venerable English College in Rome in 1964 and served as assistant priest in York, Bolton and Levenshulme before returning to Rome to study for a doctorate in canon law.

Monsignor Mark Davies, Vicar General for the Diocese of Salford, said: "I have known Father Peter for almost 24 years and respected him for his intelligence and expertise in law.

"But I also valued his friendship and his impish sense of humour.

"He had the common touch, transcending the boundaries of his own faith, and was able to connect with people of other religions."

Aveen Norton, who had been Father Kitchen’s housekeeper since 1988, said: "He was a true inspiration, both as a priest and as a human being.

"People came to his services from many other parishes, and judging by the letters of condolence we have been receiving, he touched the hearts of Catholics and non-Catholics alike across the city."

Mrs Norton, whose two sons have flown over from Australia and America for the funeral, said Father Kitchen was fluent speaker of Italian and a car fanatic, but his pride and joy was his vintage boat which he kept at Windermere.

Father Kitchen’s body will be received into the church tonight, Thursday, April 10 at 7.30pm when Monsignor Davies will conduct a vigil Mass.

The funeral service on Friday, April 11 starts at 11am and will be conducted by the Bishop of Salford, The Right Reverend Terence Brain.

Afterwards, family and friends will accompany the cortege to Brindle, near Preston, where Father Kitchen will be buried beside his parents.

Donations, in lieu of flowers, can be made to his three favourite charities.

These are the Multiple Sclerosis Society, St Ann’s Hospice and the Rainbow Children’s Hospice and should be sent to the Eccles Co-operative Funeral Service, 204 Church Street, Eccles, M30 0LZ.