AT THE end of a Mass this year at the Sacred Heart Church in Blackpool, Father Denis Blackledge walked off to the sanctuary, swapped his vestments for a cloak and mask and then reappeared — dressed as Yoda from Star Wars. However, this was not some kind of stunt, but rather his way of expressing his support and appreciation for the town’s entertainment community.

Father Denis, a Jesuit, is one of a number of chaplains who work with those who earn their living in the world of entertainment. His appearance as Yoda (Mooky, a circus clown, had introduced a Star Wars theme to his act) was made at the 47th annual Mass of the northern branch of the Catholic Stage Guild, of which he is a member.

Along with Father Geoff Bottoms, he sets time aside from normal parish duties to visit those who perform for the millions of people who visit the northern resort each year. “Once the season starts in the summer, we go around and cover the North Pier, Central Pier, Winter Gardens, Grand Theatre and Tower Circus. We try to do this once a week. Normally we go in at 7pm just before a show. Often we stay backstage during the shows, and sometimes might end up in the Royal Box.

“The main thing is to be around. It’s about wasting time positively and showing people that they matter. Sometimes you get some good theology discussions back-stage. When I first began this work, I met a couple of Russian dancers who told me that they had just lost their dad. I took them to the church and we lit a candle and had a Mass for them.”

He can see parallels between the life of a priest and that of an artiste, he adds. “I remember Val Doonican once telling me that he had sung a particular song eight or nine thousand times. Whatever mood an artiste is in or whatever problems they have, they still have to go onstage. The show must go on. Being a priest is a bit like this. I’ve done the God act thousands of times. But each time I celebrate Mass I try to do it as if it was my first time.”

The Rev Mark Oakley, Rector of St Paul’s in Covent Garden, London, which is known as “the actors’ church”, says that 60 per cent of his ministry is with those working in the theatres in his parish.

“I do marriages, baptisms, funerals and, particularly, memorial services. I’ve recently conducted services for Leo McKern, Michael Williams, Debbie Barham and Peter Tinneswood. St Paul’s is a sort of chaplaincy outpost for people in the theatre. It’s where they gather for the special moments in their life.”

He adds that the distinctive thing about the theatre is that it is a very fragile business. “You don’t know when your next job will be. Money is quite an issue for actors. I’ve had actors come to me wanting to learn how to pray or learn more about the Christian faith.”

He also acts as a chaplain to RADA and he has been invited to teach ethics and contemporary issues at the Royal Ballet School. “I will go to RADA to see productions in their wonderful new theatre in Gower Street, and the students come to services at St Paul’s occasionally. I recently preached at St Cyprian’s, Clarence Gate, and RADA students read from T. S. Eliot.”

The Church can learn from theatre, he suggests. “I believe that we’re in a time where people have lost a religious vocabulary. We need a shared discourse that helps people think about things that matter to the human soul. The Church should use the arts more to talk about things of the spirit and things that matter deeply.”

He points out that the roots of theatre are in religion. “Theatre was born, in many ways, in religious settings. Greek theatre was usually performed at religious festivals and most medieval theatre dealt with the great Biblical stories. It was in the liturgy that many theatrical performances began.

“If you believe that theatre is simply entertainment, it’s easy to dismiss it. But if you believe it’s about enlarging humanity and deepening it, then you can’t dismiss it. It’s wonderful to have fresh perspectives on ancient themes. When you go to a play and meet the cast and the technical team you realise how well they work together for a common purpose. This is a wonderful lesson for the Church, particularly at the moment.”

The Actors Church Union has around 200 Church of England chaplains to theatres, film and television studios and dance and drama schools in England.

Founded in 1899, it encountered opposition in its early days from those who regarded the theatre as a disreputable profession. Apart from providing pastoral care to those in the acting profession, the Actors Church Union is also concerned with issues that affect themv, such as the Broadcasting Act, cross-media ownership and arts funding. It has recently issued a response to the Government’s Communications Bill and new gaming proposals.

Canon Richard Truss, the rector of St John the Evangelist, Waterloo, has been chaplain to the National Theatre, the Young Vic and the South Bank arts centre for the past 12 years. Before this, he spent 16 years as chaplain to Thames TV.

“There are about 800 people working at the National Theatre, and they do everything in-house. They make their own scenery, costumes and wigs, and they have an education department. There are days when I go round and wonder what I am doing. Then something happens. Someone might tell me that someone’s dad had died or someone else is having relationship problems.”

The actor Martin O’Brien, 28, who helped to found the Association of Catholics in Theatre and on Screen (ACTS), and who won the BBC’s Northern Exposure award last year for his play On Eagle’s Wings, which is about a priest rediscovering his faith, says: “Being a young Catholic and and an actor can be quite solitary, especially when you are on the road. A chaplain acts as a central point through whom you can meet others in the profession who share your Christian faith.”