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First Priest

Fr. John McNulty was appointed priest-in-charge. St. Bernard's was not as yet a parish. It was a chapel of ease attached to St. Mary's Levenshulme. Parish boundaries were however agreed. The boundaries were L.M.S. Railway from Westcroft Road to Mauldeth Road, along Mauldeth Road (right hand side only) to Ladybarn Lane (right hand side only) to L.M.S. Railway. Along this to Kingsway. Down Kingsway (right hand side) to Kingswood Road. Across Kingsway and along Grangethorpe Drive (right hand side) across Burnage Lane, along Crossley Road (right hand side) across Errwood Road, still along Crossley Road to the Manchester-Stockport boundary. Down the boundary to Barcicroft Road. Right hand side of Barcicroft into Westcroft Road. Along the (right hand side) to L.M.S. Railway.

In February 1941, Fr. John McNulty, with the occasional help of his brother Fr. Anthony McNulty, the Vicar-General of the Diocese, set about converting the ground floor of the Lodge into a chapel. It was war-time and skilled man-power and building materials were in short supply. The priests were ably assisted by a number of parishioners. Interior walls were removed, doorways were changed, a fire escape was constructed. The wooden altar and baptismal font were made by Mr. F. Hertzog. Much of the bricklaying, plastering were carried out by W.Allen, T.Egan, J.Daggert, T.Dignan. J.Hogan and others. Mr Tomlinson installed the electric lights. Many of the church fittings, benches and pews were items salvaged from St. Augustine's All Saints. St. Augustine's had been destroyed in the fierce bombing raids of December 1940. Some of these benches are still in use in the choir loft of St. Bernard's Church. Two large statues of Our Lady and the Sacred Heart were donated by the McCarron family of Withington.