The Church

Click on the images to see the Church and its interior.

"He is the living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious to him. Set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house."

(1 Peter 2:4-5)

The Church is not about bricks and archtiecture, however beautiful or impressive. The Church is God's Holy People, the temple made of lving stones where God is worshipped in spirit and truth. In the living community of faith, the Body of Christ, God calls us to family and to shine the light of the Gospel in the world. The church building represents that presence of God in our world, and acts as a home for all who gather to be nourished and supported on their pilgrim way to the Kingdom.

The Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel is one of the most remarkable post-war buildings, designed by the Glasgow firm of architects - Gillespie, Kidd and Coia.

Jack Coia, a Glasgow Catholic of Italian background had a totally new concept of what a church should be like when he steered the team of architects towards producing this outstanding church.

The church was designed in 1964 and completed in 1966 in the garden of what is now the Presbytery at 6 Broompark Circus in Dennistoun. The plan of the church fills most of the site to create an irregular space for around 500 people - and generally the church is full!

The massive copper roof, rising almost from street level, reaches its maximum height above the altar, where the soaring gable end fulfils the role of a church tower.

Entry to the church is through a doorway which leads to a broad and gently rising staircase which carries the visitor into the higher plane of sacred space - only gradually is the interior revealed.

The materials used are mainly, concrete, brick and wood and create a muted but stunning effect with a warmth of colour around the altar. On the west side an astonishing abstract of coloured panels enlivens the tall vertical wall that supports the ridge of the roof.

Thirty years after its construction, the building achieved national status when it was listed by Historic Scotland as a Grade A building, one of the most recent buildings in Scotland to be so listed. It features regularly in architectural journals throughout the U.K. and often attracts visitors interested in architecture, including students of building and architecture at local universities and colleges.

The Church is open daily from 9.00am until 11.00am and on Sundays from 9.30am until 1.00pm and from 4.30 until 6.30pm.