About Us

St Mary the Virgin, Kettering

St Mary the Virgin is an Anglican Church (Church of England) that is firmly rooted in the Catholic (Anglo-Catholic or Catholic Anglican) tradition. At St Mary's we use incense, wear vestments, have a place of reservation for the Blessed Sacrament, say a daily Mass, make our confession and celebrate all seven Sacraments of the Church. We are a registered Forward in Faith parish. We are under the Episcopal care of the Bishop of Richborough - The Right Reverend Norman Banks SSC

We are a friendly, growing community, witnessing to the Christian faith as received by the Catholic Church. All are welcome at our services. Our Church is open to ALL, irrespective of religion or denomination.

We seek to follow in the ways of Jesus Christ in our local community. We do this by offering hospitality, and details of forthcoming events can be found on our website. We pray for our local community at our daily Mass, and the Parish Priest is often found visiting local buildings and establishments where he will chat and pray with the local community.

St Mary's also has its own Church School, and the Parish Priest visits school on a regular basis delivering assemblies, leading classes and saying Mass. The Parish Priest also serves as Chair of the Board of Governors. 

A parish of nearly 11,000, St Mary's has been fascinating from the word go. The 19th century stone-built church was a magnificent gift to Kettering from a benefactress who died without  being able to view it, and through the years its parishioners have striven to emulate her generosity. They set themselves to achieve beauty in worship, making a distinctive devotional appeal through decor, colour, pre-Reformation services, statues and symbols, music and prayer. 

St Mary's has retained its catholic practices, and is a beacon of the Anglo Catholic faith in the Diocese of Peterborough. We are committed to our corporate life of worship and prayer, as we are sent out from the Mass to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ, and to serve him in our community by serving our brothers and sisters in need.  

We also have a second church - St John the Evangelist - that serves the people of the Grange Estate. Attached to St John's is a large hall that is available for hire. If you'd be interested in hiring our hall for an excellent rate, please contact us using the contact form on this site by clicking on the Get In Touch tab on this page.

Enquires about weddings and baptisms are welcome: please contact us by using the contact form on the Get In Touch tab on the left of this page.

Our website is at: stmkstmary.com

Our Facebook page is at: https://www.facebook.com/stmkstmary/