Our Lady Help of Christians, Rickmansworth

Introduction

The Catholic Mission, later the parish of Rickmansworth, was founded in 1886 by the Rev. Henry Hardy, a secular priest who acted as Rector until 1904.

History

The church was extended by the addition of the Lady Chapel in 1935. In September 1979 care of the Rickmansworth parish was transferred to the Verona Fathers, whose national postulancy was established here. In 1985 the Verona Fathers left and the parish was adopted by the Westminster Diocese. The Assumptionists ran the parish for 75 years, opening three chapels of ease that between 1958 and 1974 became the centres of the present parishes of Croxley Green and Mill End. The church was built adjoining St Augustine's Priory and Hall and opened on 26th October 1909.

Music and liturgy

The parish has a Folk Group of instrumentalists and singers who sing hymns, modern Mass settings and Christian songs. The parish's music groups sing at special celebrations such as First Holy Communion and Confirmation Masses. The parish's musicians sing choral music from the treasury of sacred music, with styles ranging from sixteenth century Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony to modern classical and folk music.

Parish life

Chess Valley SVP was launched in October 2015 and works across the three parishes of Our Lady Help of Christians, Rickmansworth, St John the Evangelist, Mill End and St John Fisher Chorleywood. The parish has a Youth Choir for boys and girls in Year 3 and above, led by Youth Choir Director Roseanna Dunn. The Youth Choir sings at Mass in St John the Evangelist Church, Mill End or in Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Rickmansworth.

The parish has volunteers who help promote the work of CAFOD, through ensuring publicity materials are displayed and an annual presentation with an update on the work of the charity. The parish has a Joint Pastoral Parish Council, as evidenced by its annual reports.

The parish has a Confirmation preparation process, with readiness based on where the individual and the parish discern their relationship with Jesus Christ. The parish has a history of the Daughters of Jesus, who had a great presence in the parish and were responsible for the establishment of St Monica’s School and St Joan of Arc School in 1904, working in the parish until 2019.

Visiting

The Prayer and Life Workshops are an ecclesial movement officially recognised by the Church, offering a form of evangelization. The Prayer and Life Workshops method is wholly based on the Word of God, with daily texts from the New and Old Testaments for participants to meditate and pray at home. Daniel works across the three sites ensuring they are kept clean and safe for all users.