Chorley Catenians Circle 23

Strengthening family life through friendship and faith

What are the Catenians all about?

Put simply: Faith, Family, Friendship, and Fun.

What is the Catenian Association?

We are an international brotherhood of Catholic men that meets socially every month at local branches known as “Circles”. We encourage each other and our families both in social life and at work.

Structure and membership

The Association was founded in Manchester in 1908 and there are now approximately 7,000 members, called Brothers, mostly in the UK, but also in Australia, India, Ireland, Malta, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

“Catena” is Latin for “Chain”. The Chain has approximately 300 links called Circles. Chorley is the 23rd Circle and was founded in 1914. Circles are grouped geographically in Provinces; in the UK there are 19 Provinces.

We are in Province 10, which overlaps Liverpool, Salford, Leeds and Lancaster Diocese:

• Accrington 80
• Broughton-in-Craven 212
• Burnley 54
• Chorley 23
• Garstang 226
• North Lancashire 62
• Longridge 286
• Lytham St Annes 89
• Preston 14
• Preston & District 144
• Preston, South 235
• South Ribble 347
• Westmorland 299

Each level has a Council, which is led by a President, Circle President, Provincial President, and National President. Presidents are elected annually, providing frequent opportunity for change in style and social content.

Objectives of the association

• Foster fraternal respect among the Members.
• Develop social bonds between Members and their families.
• Support Members and their dependants by individual or collective action.
• Advance the interests of young Catholics and to assist them in the choice or pursuit of a career - Bursary Funds.
• Establish, maintain and administer Benevolent Funds for the benefit of a Brother or a Brother’s Widow in financial difficulty.
• Care for a Brother, his Wife, Widow or family in difficulty or need, whether morally, spiritually or financially.
• Give the opportunity for young Catholics to apply for grants from the Bursary Fund to assist in sponsoring Overseas Project Trips and visits to Lourdes.

What we are not

• Affiliated to or supportive of any Political Party.
• A Catholic Pressure Group.
• A Fund Raising Organisation. We are not predicated on fund raising, but on occasion do raise funds if, for example, a charity is chosen and supported by the President.
• A Secret Society.

Activities