Church of Saint Mary and Saint Joseph, Hemel West

Introduction

The Church of Saint Mary and Saint Joseph in Hemel Hempstead was officially opened on August 7th 1898. The church was very small, seating no more than 40 or 50 persons.

History

In 1893, Father Henry Hardy was asked by Cardinal Herbert Vaughan to take under his care the scattered Catholic population in West Hertfordshire beyond Watford. The first stage of building was the chapel, built in 1898, extending from the statue of Mary to where the present statue of Saint Patrick stands. A sacristy and workroom were added in 1900. The chapel was further extended in a straight line in 1903, partly due to the generosity of Sir Roper Parkington and his family.

In 1938 the parish secured enough funds to build an extension at right angles to the first church. In 1951 a further extension was built on to the 1938 one, lengthening it further and providing the new sanctuary, with a small hall built underneath. Until 1955, when the parish of Our Lady, Queen of All Creation was established, Saint Mary and Saint Joseph remained the only Catholic Church in Hemel Hempstead.

In 2019 the parishes of Hemel Hempstead and Hemel Hempstead West were merged to form a new parish: Hemel West. The parish of Hemel West was created in 2019 by the merger of two parishes, with the church at Boxmoor designated as the parish church for the new parish.

Architecture and furnishings

The nave is orientated north-south rather than east-west, unusually for Catholic churches. The ground slopes sharply down to Horsecroft Road, and the solution was to build a small parish hall on the lower slope, with the nave running above it. The church was expanded by building an extension at right angles to the original chapel, with masonry arches, wood flooring and a roof with dormer windows. The masonry arches are curved in the neo-gothic style, recalling the upturned hull of a boat, a style often found in country churches in Normandy.

The church was built with a small wooden belfry with two tubular bells, which it still has. The pulpit is made from oak, as is the panelling around the sanctuary. The altar is faced in Portland stone and is very large in proportion to the rest of the church. A window of plaster and coloured glass forming flower patterns is clearly influenced by the Moorish style influential in Britain in the 1890s.

The stained glass window depicting Dorcas is dedicated to Kathleen Potter. Around the church are the traditional 14 stations of the cross, made of plaster and painted. The lectern is made from oak and was given in memory of Sydney Trower, a long-standing member and former sacristan. The Statue of St Patrick shows St Patrick dressed in gothic robes as a bishop, with a snake at his feet and a shamrock. The window showing the Baptism of Jesus shows evidence of the style of the Catholic artist Eric Gill, and was made in the early 1950s.

Parish life

The church serves a community of about 2000 Catholics in Boxmoor, Chaulden, Apsley, Felden and Hemel Hempstead town centre. St Mary's Dominican Convent in Green End Road has been part of Boxmoor life since 1953. The Dominican sisters, belonging to the Dominican Congregation of Newcastle, Natal, were instrumental in founding a number of Catholic schools in Hertfordshire. In 1995 the convent became a joint noviciate where women are given two years initial formation.

Between 1900 and 1954 there was a small convent of Assumptionist sisters at The Poplars, Cowper Road, initially a house of rest for sick children and later a gardening school. The range of activities supported by people in this church ranges from toddlers to senior citizens. The parish works with other groups in the community and supports ventures as far afield as Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

The parish has strong links with John F Kennedy Catholic Secondary, Saint Cuthbert Mayne Junior and Saint Roses Infant schools, all within the parish. The St Mary & St Joseph Church Parish Centre opened in March 2003 and can accommodate up to 100 people with tables, 120 seated conference style, or 150 standing. Little Church is for children 5-7 years old who are not yet preparing for First Holy Communion, providing an introduction to the Catholic faith.

Regular events

The parish joins other churches in the Good Friday Procession of Witness in the town centre. The parish supports Pray Hemel, a monthly group that meets on the first Saturday morning of each month at a different church.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish offers an urgent Anointing of the Sick service at any time, day or night, via a dedicated phone option. The Diocese of Westminster requires a minimum of 6 months notice of intention of marriage for weddings in the parish.

First Holy Communion classes are primarily for children in Year 3, aged 7/8, and also for those up to age 10/11 who have not yet made their First Holy Communion. Adults who wish to become Catholic can attend the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and join the Adult Formation Group on Tuesday evenings.

The Confirmation Course follows the Decision Point programme. Those who have died are remembered at every Mass, as are those who mourn.

Visiting

Visitors can walk around the church using the guide booklet. The Parish Office is behind the Parish Centre, with signs outside the Presbytery directing visitors.