In 1890 Thorne and Stainforth were transferred from the Parish of St Peter in Chains, Doncaster to the adjoining Parish of St Norbert's, Crowle. Crowle was closer and easier of access. In 1896 the small number of Catholics in Thorne was boosted by an influx of Dutch immigrants to work in the newly founded peat-cutting industry. Spasmodic arrangements were then made to celebrate Mass in Thorne and Moorends, with difficulties both with finding suitable premises and priests. Sometimes the masses were serviced from Crowle, sometimes from Carlton. Masses were celebrated in the Town Hall, Thorne, and later in a room in Peat Moss Terrace, where the Dutch immigrants lived.

In 1906 the bishop agreed to create a new parish containing Thorne and Moorends, the boundary being defined by the existing Union of Thorne. This new parish was formally assigned to the Premonstratensian Order from their base in Crowle. The care of Moorends was undertaken by Father Ceslas Vermeulen, later assisted by Father Ryan, masses being celebrated in Moorends County School. Father Vermeulen secured the lease of a plot of land from Thorne Colliery, and had collected sufficient funds by 1912 for the erection of a corrugated iron building in what is now Vermuyden Road. During the first world war Father Vermeulen was recalled to Belgium for military service. Although he resumed charge at Moorends in 1918 he soon realised that all he had been through in the war had made him unfit for parish work. He was replaced by Father McGarity.

As the size of the colliery village increased it was realised that the prime position for the necessary sewage works was the site of the church, and the Colliery Company refused to extend the lease or offer an alternative site. The building was therefore dismantled and moved to near the current site of St Joseph's. A vacant bungalow on adjoining land was purchased for Father McGarity, who had found commuting by motor cycle from Crowle increasingly unsatisfactory. Subsequently the remainder of the field on which the bungalow stood was purchased, as it was felt to be an ideal site for a new church. In 1938 the new priest, Father Dolan, began work on the new Church, which was consecrated in 1939. The old church now acquired a new function, that of a dance hall, and was affectionately known to all as "the sweat box".

The fire-damaged Empire Cinema was acquired by Father Neill in 1952 as a parish hall. For over 40 years this was the venue of regular bingo sessions which supplied much of the revenue needed to run the parish. It enabled the present presbytery to be built in 1959. In 1962 half of the £66,000 building cost of Holy Family School, Stainforth was debited to Moorends parish. Furthermore Moorends was required to pay 8.5% of the cost of what is now the McAuley school in Cantley two years later, and also one sixth of the cost of Holy Family, Carlton. It says much for the thrift of the parishioners, as well as the commercial success of the Bingo, that the whole debt had been eradicated by 1981.

In February 1987 the full ownership and pastoral care of the parish of Moorends was transferred to the diocese. Father Joseph Quigley was appointed as Parish Priest in October of that year, a post he filled for thirteen years. Regrettably during this period, in common with the remainder of the country, there was a serious decline in the congregations, old traditions like the May procession were discontinued, the parish hall became too costly to maintain and was demolished and the land sold for a nominal sum. Following Father Quigley's retirement the parish was again without a parish priest, due to the extreme shortage of priests in the diocese. During this period many of the functions previously carried out by the priest were taken over by the parishioners, which in itself has played a large part in the rebirth of community spirit.

Father Roy Pannell was appointed Parish Priest of Thorne, Moorends and Stainforth in December 2001. In the short time he has been with us he has already demonstrated what an asset he is, and we look forward to him staying with us for many years.

Priests at Moorends
Father McGarity C.R.P	1921-1938
Father Dolan C.R.P	1938-1944
Father Dodds C.R.P	1944-1957
Father Neill C.R.P	1957-1959
Father Dodds C.R.P	1959-1965
Father Joye C.R.P	1965-1968
Father Zyerfeld C.R.P	1968-1981
Father Smyth C.R.P	1981-1987
Father Quigley	1987-2000
Father Pannell	2001