Church of Our Lady and St Joseph, Hanwell

Introduction

The parish was officially opened in 1853, having grown from the needs of Irish labourers working on the Great Western Railway viaduct. A prominent sculpture of the Holy Family is placed outside and above the main doors of the church.

Architecture and furnishings

In 2010, works inside the church, mainly in the sanctuary area, greatly improved its appearance. In September 2018, the parish began its largest renovation project, which included completely renovating the exterior and about 80% of the interior.

Parish life

The parish has a Social Club housed in the Parish Centre. The parish runs a Baptism Programme for registered parishioners. The parish runs a First Holy Communion preparation programme for children in years 3, 4 or 5.

The parish has a school, Saint Joseph's Catholic Primary School, which has served the parish for over a hundred years. The parish school was set up to meet the needs of poor immigrants and has welcomed Catholic children from across the world. The parish school was staffed by nuns from the Order of Saint Joseph of Peace, which still has a convent across the road from the church. The parish live-streams weddings and funerals via YouTube upon request.

Visiting

The parish has three car parks, which were renovated and expanded by demolishing five old garages. The parish hall is open for visitors to see, described as a joy and a pleasure to be there.