Our Lady of Loreto & St. Winefride, Kew Gardens

Introduction

The parish of Our Lady of Loreto & Saint Winefride in Kew Gardens was founded in 1898 as a Mission Centre when the Marists were invited to establish a parish in Kew. The church was officially recognised by the Diocese of Southwark in 1905 and completed and inaugurated in July 1906. The church is built in the Romanesque style as requested by parish benefactor Miss Frances Ellis.

History

A house in Kew Gardens Road served as the Mission Chapel until waste ground nearby was secured for a permanent church. The original design lacked funds for side aisles, so the church resembled a 'T' shape with chapels as wings; the side aisles were added in 1968. The sanctuary was remodelled in 1977, removing altar rails and pulpit, moving the crucifix, and replacing the high altar with a marble table.

Architecture and furnishings

The cross above the tabernacle was a gift from the Marists in 1977 and depicts the risen Christ in glory. The large crucifix added to the sanctuary in 1910 now looks out from beneath the organ loft. The Stations of the Cross are the oldest items in the church, transferred from the Mission Chapel and re-sited in 1910 and 1968. St Winefride's chapel houses the parish First World War memorial, dedicated on 13th October 1918, a gift from Eugene and Ada Bisgood.

The Annunciation window near the South Door was donated by the children of Eugene and Ada in memory of their parents. The small stained glass panel in the central window above the Sanctuary depicts the crucifixion and was installed post WWII, possibly for St Winefride's Golden Jubilee. The font was blessed in 1952. The organ is considered one of the finest parish organs in South England and was installed in the early 1900s.

The apse at the eastern end of the church is typical of the Romanesque style. A large chapel dedicated to St Peter Chanel was located close to the Sacristy entrance.

Music and liturgy

At Junior Church, the Bible Readings are explained to the children and they complete activities based on the themes of the Readings. The Society of St Vincent de Paul organises an annual Mass with the anointing of the sick.

Parish life

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion regularly visit the sick and housebound with Holy Communion, as does the Parish Priest. The Parish Advisory Group aims to convene every 2 months. The brief of the Parish Advisory Group is to share with the parish priest the thinking, planning and decisions about the life of the parish.

The First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion course runs each year with a series of weekly sessions, usually starting in February/March and ending in May/June. The original Baptistry serves as the parish shop, located at the far end of the Narthex.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Marriage paperwork needs to have been started at least six months before the proposed wedding date. The child will have godparents (maximum of 4), at least one of whom must be a Confirmed and practising Catholic. It is possible for non-Catholics who are connected with the parish to have a funeral service here.