History
St Bernadette's
Prior to the appointment of a resident priest in 1958, Tullibody was served from the parish of St Mungo at Alloa, whose priests ministered to the spiritual needs of the people with great loyalty and fervour . Many of those pioneers have now been called to their heavenly reward.
Because of their efforts to sustain the Faith, Bishop William Andrew Hart decided to set up a parish of Saint Bernadette in Tullibody, and appointed Father (later Canon) P.J McKearney as the first parish priest on the 5th September 1958. Father McKearney set about his formidable task of establishing a parish,(Sunday mass was held in the old Tullibody Institute Hall with daily mass in the upstairs room of the priests house at 9 Baingle Brae just up the hill from the existing St Bernadettes). This and laying plans for the building of a church was no small task, but supported by many wonderful and enthusiastic parishoners, his dream of a church was realised, when on the 26th June, 1963, Bishop Hart blessed and opened the church and house. Father McKearney was now 'on his own patch', and no longer a 'Council tenant'.
The parish grew in strength and numbers under his tireless leadership. After six years of labouring here, Father McKearney was called to administer St.Andrews Cathedral in Dundee and his place was taken by Father (later also Canon) Ernest Andrew, then parish priest at Strathtay.
During his nine years of ministering to the parish Father Andrew was equal to the task and standards set by his predecessor and is still affectionately remembered and highly regarded by those of his time who are still in the parish.
The third parish priest of this young parish, was Father Edward (Ned) Durkin, transferred from St Fergus, in Forfar, in 1971. Father Durkin had two great privileges; the opening of the new primary schools for the parish, and the celebration of his Priestly Silver Jubilee in 1971.
In October 1981, Father John Nolan became the fourth parish priest of St. Bernadettes. He was transferred from his curacy at St Matthew's in Dundee where he had served since his ordination in 1978. Fr. Nolan who had a great devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes and was responsible for organising Diocesan Pilgrimages to Lourdes and in recognition of his devotion and work he was appointed an "Honorary Chaplin to the Grotto". Fr. Nolan died in Alloa Hospital on 6th June 1987 following a short illness.
Fr. Nolan was succeeded by Father Charles Hendry. Fr Hendry came to St. Bernadette's from St. Ninians, Dundee and remained till 1990. In 1988 Fr. Hendry was appointed a member of the Cathedral Chapter. In 1990 Cannon (later Mgr). Hendry was transfered to St.Fillans, Crieff.
The shortage of priests resulted in changes to the way the churches in Clakmannanshire were run. St. Bernadette's was clustered with St. Mungo's, Alloa with Father James Foley as Parish priest and Father James High became the priest-in-charge at St. Bernadette's. Fr. High remained at St. Bernadette's until 1992 when he was appointed parish priest of St. Margaret's, Montrose.
Father Jim Wallace became the next parish priest in 1992. He will be recalled as a learned, self-effacing parish priest who fostered wonderful devotion to Mary, the Mother of God, having in his life visited nearly every Marian Shrine in Europe and beyond.
Fr. Wallace died suddenly on 26th August 2005. The celebration of his Requiem Mass in St. Bernadette's was attended by such large numbers that many of the faithfull had to listen to Mass outside.
After Father Wallace's passing in 2005, the parish was administered by Father Michael Milton (parish priest at St Mungo's in Alloa) and assisted by Father Martin Pletts. The two priests now served all 3 parishes in Clackmannanshire and St. Serf's High Valleyfield. Fr.Pletts knew the area well having stayed in Tullibody during his time at Stirling University. His ordination in St. Andrews Cathedral on 24th June 2002 was well attended by parishioners from Tullibody. In 2007 Bishop Logan appointed Fr. Pletts as Administrator of St. Andrews Cathedral, Dundee and parish Priest of St. Joseph's, Dundee. Father Michael Freyne MHM was appointed to replace Fr. Pletts as assistant to Fr. Milton looking after the 4 parishes.
In 2008 the decision was taken to re-organise the 4 parishes, with Fr. Michael Milton serving St. Mungo's, Alloa and St. Serf's, High Valleyfield and Fr. Mike Freyne serving St. Bernadette's, Tullibody and St. John Vianney's, Alva. These plans took effect in February 2009
Father Michael Freyne MHM is the current parish Priest. Father Mike was born in Edinburgh and attended the Mill Hill Missionaries Junior Seminary in Lochwinnoch Scotland, later his major Seminary studies took place at Mill Hill Missionaries, Roosendaal, Holland. Fr. Mike was ordained in his home parish of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh in 1977. After a short time in Livingston Fr. Mike arrived in Brazil in 1979 where he had asked to be appointed. He worked there in several parishes until 2007 when he returned to Scotland.
In 2008 he was appointed to Alloa assisting Fr. Mllton in the 4 parishes.
In February 2009 he became Parish Priest of St. John Vianney's and St. Bernadette's.
St John Vianney's
For many years, from the Restoration of the Scottish Catholic Hierarchy in March 1878, the spiritual needs of Catholics, living in the Hillfoots Area, were met by priests from St Mungo's Parish, Alloa.
On Sunday, 13 October, 1913, Fr John O'Neill of St.Mungo's Parish made history when he celebrated Mass in a small, wooden hut in Alva - the first Mass in Alva since the Reformation. The hut held about 70 people. The needs of the Alva community continued to be met by priests from Alloa until June 1914.
Father Alphonsus Roche was appointed the first resident Parish Priest of St John Vianney's, Alva in June 1914 and lived in a rented house there where Mass was said during the week but continued on Sundays in the wooden hut. In 1920 a house was bought in East Stirling Street and a laundry and pantry to the rear of the building were refurbished into a single room chapel. It could accommodate about 50 people.The altar was constructed from the remains of the demolished box mangle. However, there was sufficient ground attached to the main house to allow for the construction of a small Church and work began following an announcement by Bishop Toner in his annual report of the Poor Mission Fund:
"We were able to contribute substantially to the cost of the new church, so much needed in Alva and it may be of further interest to mention that this church is to be dedicated in honour of one of the recently canonised saints of this year of Jubilee, St John Vianney, the World renowned Cure of Ars."
On Tuesday, 8th Sept., 1925, Bishop Toner, Bishop of Dunkeld, blessed the Cross which surmounts the apex of the facade. and on Sunday, 18 April, he solemnly blessed and officially opened the new Church of St John Vianney.
Since the foundation of the Parish in 1914 the following priests have served in the Parish of St John Vianney:
Fr Alphonsus Roche, 1914 - 1929
Fr John McMahon, 1929 - 1933
Fr Owen Lynch, 1933 - 1940
Fr James Nally, 1940 - 1943
Fr Edward Dempsey, 1943 -1948
Fr Peter Cullerton, 1948 - 1955
Fr Hamish Stuart, 1955 - 1957
Fr John Ross, 1957 - 1963
Fr. Thomas J. Dillon, 1963 - 1970
Fr Basil O' Sullivan, 1970 - 1974
Canon Peter Kaye, 1974 -1982
Fr Martin Drysdale, 1982 - 1986
Fr Kenneth McCaffrey, 1986 - 2005
Fr. Michael Milton (From St Mungo's), 2005 - 2009
Fr. Mike Freyne, 2009 -
Present Priest
At the beginning of 2009, Bishop Vincent Logan decided that St Bernadette's and St. John Vianney's should be administered jointly as a single parish and he appointed Fr Mike Freyne, MHM, to be Parish Priest.
In 2008 he was appointed to Alloa assisting Fr. Mllton in the 4 parishes.
In February 2009 he became Parish Priest of St. John Vianney's and St. Bernadette's.