Our Lady and St. Anne Parish Church

Introduction

At The Firs on Low Sunday 1896, Father Klomp celebrated the first parish Mass of Our Lady and Saint Anne Parish Church in Caversham, with 13 people attending. On 6 February 1903 Bishop Isley formally blessed and opened Our Lady and Saint Anne Parish Church in Caversham, which Mrs Crawshay and other supporters had planned as a church of a single aisle, with a sanctuary and with a presbytery adjoining it. On 26 July 1933 Archbishop Thomas Williams of Birmingham solemnly consecrated Our Lady and Saint Anne Parish Church in Caversham.

History

In 1895 Mrs Crawshay and Mrs Anne Lovegrove invited the French Sisters of Mercy to Caversham, and after the Crawshays gave them The Firs, Catholics of that neighbourhood could receive Mass and the sacraments locally. Coverage of the parish of Caversham originally took in a huge area of South Oxfordshire; 1897 was the year the parish of Goring-on-Thames was established, and 1955 was the year a Mass centre was established at Sonning Common. The first parish building was blessed and opened in 1899: two rooms that housed the school on weekdays and the weekend Mass centre. Benefactor Dr Cockran purchased, as a site for a new church, presbytery, school and convent, the land between South View Avenue and Gosbrook Road.

Architecture and furnishings

The south aisle and the tower were added in 1907, and 1921 brought the north aisle. For the church centenary the narthex was extended and the Cenacle, an octagonal room for meeting and social use, was built on the south side, and this was solemnly blessed on 5 December 2003.

Music and liturgy

In 1997, parish members already experienced in leading liturgical music founded Saint Anne’s Music Group. Members of the Bereavement Support Group attend the funeral, welcome mourners, and set out orders of service and hymn books.

Parish life

Nationalities represented among those who gather mirror the diversity of the surrounding community. Families are offered support when a death is near. Each November a Mass remembers loved ones who died in the previous year. The piety stall stocks cards, rosaries, missals, children’s books, statues, crucifixes, holy water bottles and other religious items.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Children in Year 3 or above prepare for First Communion and First Confession together. Preparation for First Holy Communion starts once Christmas has passed.

A wedding in the parish requires that one partner be a parishioner, either living in the parish or coming to Mass in the parish on most Sundays. A funeral preparation booklet is available to help families arrange the funeral rites of someone they love. Help is offered to people who want to plan their own funeral. Bereavement Support Group volunteers meet regularly and work from an agreed agenda.

Visiting

The parish SVP conference is a volunteer team that befriends elderly people and their relatives, offering regular visits or phone calls to parishioners and others in the community.