Holy Cross Church was built and opened in November 1957. It was meant to be a temporary building that would become the parish hall when a “proper” church was built. An Italian order of priests, the Scalabrini Fathers, moved in to say Mass for the large Italian community arriving in the area.
In 1966 the side aisles were added to the church. It was slowly becoming a permanent parish church serving the east side of Bedford and the rural areas out to Great Barford. The Daughters of the Holy Spirit opened their convent in Bradgate Road in 1971. When the Scalabrini Fathers left Goldington in 1972, the Fathers of The Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (the Picpus Fathers) took over and served the parish until 2003.
When they left, the Bishop appointed Father Tony Brennan as its first Diocesan Parish Priest.
In October 2007, Holy Cross Church celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Bishop Peter Doyle, Bishop of the Northampton Diocese, celebrated Mass on Saturday 20th October. The church was consecrated with the sprinkling of holy water, the anointing with blessed oil and with incense. The evening was also a celebration for Billy Walsh, who was awarded the Bene Merenti medal by Bishop Peter Doyle, for forty years of service to the church. Mass on Sunday 21st October was celebrated by the Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, Pat Lynch ss.cc. The Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Order (ss.cc.) had served Holy Cross parish for over 25 years. Bishop Pat Lynch also blessed and formally opened the new Pastoral Centre, built during the summer of 2007.
YEAR CLERGY ORDER
1957/58 John Thomson Served from St Joseph & The Holy Child Church
Brian Frost
Michael Madden
1959 Angelo Susin The Scalabrini Fathers
Walter Sacchetti
Aldo Montanari
1960 Angelo Susin
Giovanni Alessi
Alberto Vico
1961/63 Angelo Susin In Holy Cross Church
Alberto Vico In Italian Mission – Woburn Road, Bedford
Umberto Marin In Italian Mission
1964 Angelo Bordignon In Holy Cross Church
Emilio Vaccaro In Holy Cross Church
Alberto Vico In Italian Mission
Francesco Astegno In Italian Mission
Umberto Marin In Italian Mission
1965 Angelo Bordignon In Holy Cross Church
Emilio Vaccaro In Holy Cross Church
Italian Mission became a separate church – Santa Francesca Cabrini
1966/68 Angelo Bordignon
Antonio Paganoni
1968/69 Angelo Bordignon
1969/72 Angelo Susin
1971 John L Murphy Picpus Fathers – The Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Mike Foley
Fintan Crotty
1974 Fintan Crotty
Peter Kellagher
Andy Wafer
Adrian Broeders
1975 Fintan Crotty
Jack McArdle
Andy Wafer
Adrian Broeders
Joe McGeady
1976/78 Fintan Crotty
Andrew Wafer
Adrian Broeders
1979 Andrew Wafer
Adrian Broeders
1980/82 Andrew Wafer
Padraig Lyons
Bro Anthony McMorrow
1983/84 Andrew Wafer
Raymond Tierney
Bro Anthony McMorrow
1985/86 Andrew Wafer
Raymond Tierney
1987/90 Chris McAneny
John Roche
1991/93 Chris McAneny
Chris O’Neill
Derek Laverty
1994 Adrian Broeders
Chris O’Neill
Derek Laverty
1995/96 Fintan Crotty
Adrian Broeders
Fergal Maguire
1997 Fintan Crotty
Derek Laverty
1998/99 Fintan Crotty
Tom Mullen
2000/01 Fintan Crotty
Pearse Mullen
2002 Fintan Crotty
Jerry White
Deacon Kieran Murtagh
2003 Fintan Crotty
Kieran Murtagh
2003/11 Anthony Brennan First Diocesan Priest at Holy Cross
2009/14 Patrick Hutton
2011/17 Jonathan Hill
2017/Now Wayne Coughlin
