Church of St Peter, Hatfield

Introduction

In 1925 Carmelite nuns built a convent on the site of the old Hatfield Brewery in Batterdale, by the railway station, and remained there until 1938.

History

The first Mass in St Peter's church, Hatfield, was celebrated on 9 July 1961. The parish of Hatfield was officially set up in 1937. The Diocese sent Fr David Arbuthnott to Hatfield in 1929. Local Catholics were able to attend Sunday Mass in the convent chapel when Vincentian Fathers came up from Potter's Bar. In 1959 Bl. Philip Howard School was opened in Woods Avenue, served by the Sisters of Mercy who moved into a new convent in Sycamore Avenue.

Architecture and furnishings

The church roof was lowered in the 1980s to address cracking in the window surrounds and problems with heating. There have been changes to the sanctuary and the church hall was re-modelled when the adjoining land was sold off.

Music and liturgy

A Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is held every Tuesday after Mass. The parish annually organizes the RCIA programme beginning in October, with candidates receiving the sacraments during the Easter Vigil ceremonies. The parish prepares children from 13 years upwards for the sacrament of Confirmation, often in conjunction with the sister parish of Marychurch. A team of catechists prepares parents and godparents for the baptism of their children in a session that lasts about an hour.

Parish life

St Peter's shares a branch of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul with the neighbouring parish of Marychurch. St Peter's supports Mary's Meals, including a fundraising lunch in the parish hall throughout the year. Twice a month the parish clergy visit the sick, housebound, and those in care homes in the parish to give them Communion. Every year towards Christmas the parish organises the collection of items for distribution to the homeless.

Volunteer flower arrangers make the parish well-known for its flower decorations, especially at Christmas and Easter. A Maintenance Committee of volunteers regularly checks parish premises and properties to arrange repairs. Volunteers keep the grounds of the church neat and tidy.

St Peter's is the spiritual home for Catholic members (students and staff) of the University of Hertfordshire, with a full programme of spiritual and social events arranged at St Peter's and on campus. The Parish Council exists to assist the parish priest in all matters relating to the pastoral life of the parish. The parish Finance Committee assists the parish priest in the administration of the goods of the parish, such as properties and finances. The Catechetical Ministry catechises parish members in the beliefs, teachings, and practices of the Catholic Church.

The Sacristan takes care of the sacristy and gets things ready for liturgical celebrations, including weekday and Sunday Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion help the priest distribute Holy Communion during Mass, and some also take Communion to the sick and housebound. Volunteer cleaners keep the church clean and tidy, following a rota. The parish celebrates the Feast of St Peter on June 29th and the See of St Peter on February 22nd.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Baptisms at St Peter's usually take place on Sunday afternoons, with the service lasting about 35 minutes. Children make their First Holy Communion at St Peter's in late spring or early summer, with preparatory classes in the parish hall on Sunday mornings.

The Confirmation programme includes about ten sessions of preparation and a day's retreat. The Confirmation Mass is normally celebrated by the Bishop in the Easter season, possibly joining with young people at Marychurch.

RCIA candidates are normally welcomed into the Church at the Easter Vigil, where they may be baptised, confirmed, and receive First Holy Communion. Couples must give the priest at least six months' notice of their intention to marry. To marry at St Peter's, at least one of the couple must be a Catholic connected to the parish.