CANON MATTHEW McMANUS
Matthew Francis McManus was born in Rutherglen on 22 September 1940 and was
educated at Sacred Heart High School, Girvan and Saint Andrew's College, Drygrange.
He was ordained the Good Shepherd Cathedral, Ayr on 3 April 1965 when the photo
below was taken.
His first appointment as a Curate was to Saint Michael's Church, Kilmarnock
for a few months in 1965. He then moved to Saint Margaret's Church, Ayr till
1976 when he became Parish Priest to Saint Conal's Church, Kirkconnel and Saint
Margaret's Church, New Cumnock. In 1980, he was appointed Parish Priest to Saint
Andrew's and Saint Cuthbert's Church, Kirkcudbright and Church of the Resurrection,
Gatehouse of Fleet where he remained till he became Parish Priest of Saint Winin's
Church, Kilwinning in 1988.
The left photograph
above was taken in 1990 and the right one on 7 August 2005.
Father Matt became Parish Priest of the Church of Saint Peter in Chains on 23
November 2004.
On 18 January 2008, Bishop John Cunningham announced that Father Matt had been
appointed a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter. He was formally installed as a Canon
in Saint Margaret's Cathedral, Ayr on 24 April 2008.
The fiftieth anniversary of Canon Matt's ordination was on Good Friday in 2015.
Celebrations were postponed till 31 May when he concelebrated the Sunday Mass
with Father Stephen Sharkey and Father Charles. Near the end, he was presented
with a Papal Blessing and a cheque. Afterwards, parishioners and friends gathered
in the Parish Centre to share a buffet lunch.
The photos below were taken at the celebration.
Canon Matt retired on 7 September 2017 but celebrated the 10.00 am Mass the
following day shortly before Father Duncan McVicar
arrived to take up the post of Parish Priest. Father
Duncan invited Canon Matt to concelebrate the Sunday Mass on 10 September
at 11.30 am in thanksgiving for his thirteen years of service to Saint Peter's.
The photos below were taken at the celebration.
There are more photographs of Canon Matt on the Pictures page.