Immaculate Conception Parish Church, Stratherrick

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2013}}

{{Infobox church

| name = Immaculate Conception Church, Stratherrick

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| image =File:Immaculate Conception Parish Church, Stratherrick (geograph 6131639).jpg

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| location = Whitebridge, Inverness-shire

| country = Scotland

| coordinates = {{coord|57.219296|-4.494233|type:landmark_region:GB-HLD|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

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| denomination = Roman Catholic

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| website = {{URL|http://lochnessparishes.dioceseofaberdeen.org/}}

| status = Parish church

| functional status = Active

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| architect = Ross & Joass of Dingwall

| architectural type = Church

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| completed date = 1859

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| parish = Loch Ness Catholic Parishes

| deanery = Highlands

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| diocese = Aberdeen

| priest = Fr Andrzej Harden SJ

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Immaculate Conception Church, Stratherrick is in the Dalcrag area of Whitebridge ({{langx|gd|An Drochaid Bhàn}}), Inverness-shire, in the Highlands of Scotland and is a served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen.{{cite web|title=Stratherrick|url=http://www.rcda.scot/parishes/highlands/stratherrick|publisher=Diocese of Aberdeen|accessdate=12 March 2018}} It is an active parish church served from St Mary's Church, Inverness. It forms part of the grouping "Loch Ness Catholic Parishes".{{cite web|title=Loch Ness Catholic Parishes|url=http://lochnessparishes.dioceseofaberdeen.org/|publisher=Loch Ness Catholic Parishes|accessdate=12 March 2018}} It is also the location of the Christian pilgrimage shrine to 'Our Lady of the Highlands' within its grounds. A new outdoor Mass stone at this shrine, or Marian grotto, was consecrated by Bishop Hugh Gilbert in March 2017.{{cite web|title=Bishop Hugh Gilbert at a special dedication Mass, to Bless the New Outdoor Altar at The Shrine of The Immaculate Conception|date=31 March 2017 |url=http://www.stmarysinverness.co.uk/2017/03/bishop-hugh-gilbert-at-a-special-dedication-mass-to-bless-the-new-outdoor-altar-at-the-shrine-of-the-immaculate-conception/|publisher=St Mary's Inverness|accessdate=12 March 2018}}

History

File:Our Lady of the Highlands Grotto, Stratherrick - geograph.org.uk - 897517.jpg

The church was built following Catholic Emancipation in 1859 by Ross and Joass.{{cite web | url=https://her.highland.gov.uk/monument/MHG47419/ | title=> Monument MHG47419 |publisher=Highland Council | accessdate=6 September 2018}} The original wooden altar was later replaced by one in marble which was removed from St Mary's, Nairn. Prior to the church being built, the Tridentine Mass was offered in a house in Dalcrag by a priest based in Glenmoriston, who rowed across Loch Ness to say Mass.

St. Mary MacKillop visited this church on 12–13 December 1873, during a visit from Australia and remarked upon the clean and simple quarters of the Parish Priest, Fr. Bissett.{{cite web | url=http://nairn.dioceseofaberdeen.org/organisations/josephite-sisters-st-mary-mackillop/ | title=Sisters of St. Joseph |publisher=St Mary's RC Church | accessdate=12 March 2018}}

References

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