This Sunday we celebrated the Ruby Jubilee of our Parish Priest, Canon Michael Cook.
A concelebrated Mass was held at St Lukes at 3pm with 38 members of the clergy including Bishop John Arnold.
This was followed by refreshments in the Parish Centre including the famous Carr’s pasties and cake in Manchester City colours
Michael Cooke was born in Oldham, where his family were active members of the church of the Sacred Heart, Derker. Father Cooke was ordained 5 November 1983, he began his ministry as curate to Father Peter Pessagno at the church of the Sacred Heart and St Edward, Darwen, where he served for three years. In 1986 he moved to become curate to Father John McKeown at St Patrick’s, Livesey Street.
In 1990, Father Cooke went to study for his MPhil degree at the Manchester Polytechnic, and moved to reside at St Joseph, Longsight with Father Jim Kennedy, from 1991 he served as chaplain to the the Polytechnic and the Little Sisters of the Poor, then in 1998 became director of the religious education centre, all while continuing to live at Longsight, by the early 2000s he had to take temporary charge of the parish due to Father Kennedy’s illness and death from cancer.
In 2006 Father Cooke was appointed parish priest at St John the Evangelist, Bromley Cross, the following year he took on additional responsibilities for St Brendan, Harwood, then in 2016 for St Columba, Tonge Moor, overseeing the closure of the latter church in 2017, forming the new parish of Corpus Christi, Bolton.
In 2018 he was appointed head of the curia in succession to Mgr Kay and moved to be parish priest at St Luke, Irlams-o’th-Height with Ss Peter & Paul, Pendleton, overseeing the formation of the new parish of Our Lady of Hope, Salford. He has also been a director of the CTS since 2007 and a member of the diocesan chapter.
(Catholic Lancashire, Past and Present)