St Andrew Bobola, Hammersmith

Introduction

In 1963, the relief of Our Lady of Kozielsk was transferred from Saint Wilfred's Chapel in Brompton Oratory to a specially built side chapel in the new church.

History

In May 1970, the funeral mass for Gen. W. Anders took place here. The columbarium by Saint Andrew Bobola's RC Church has been a final resting place for many since the late 1970s. The then Parish Council decided to build three and then a further eight blocks for 770 niches. The original memorial tablets date to the late 1970s and 1980s. After a fundamental internal rebuilding, the church was privately blessed by Prelate Bronisław Michalski on 8th December 1961, when the first holy mass was said.

Architecture and furnishings

The columbarium was built on the southern side of the church, called the 'old columbarium'. It was decided to expand the columbarium at the junction of Leysfield Road and Greenside Road, called the 'new columbarium', with a further 485 niches. The last, third part of the columbarium, known as the 'extension columbarium', added a further 286 niches, parallel to the southern part of Leysfield Road.

Next to the church is a columbarium where the ashes of many famous and distinguished Poles are interred. The columbarium at Saint Andrew Bobola's is the final resting place of some 1,500 persons.

Most of the stained glass windows were designed by the church's interior architect Aleksander Prus-Klecki, with the remainder by Janina Baranowska. Countless memorial tablets commemorate various Polish military units and formations, organisations, professions and individuals.

New memorial tablets are produced in Poland. The ground upon which the columbarium stands is consecrated, and before the internment of the ashes of any individual the niches are blessed by the priest. All the building works, repairs, adaptations and modernisation and care for the columbarium have been the responsibility of the Parish. The owner of the columbarium is the Parish of Saint Andrew Bobola, Hammersmith, 1 Leysfield Road, London, W12 9JF.

Parish life

The parish has an Altar Servers group. The parish has an Association of the Living Rosary. The parish has Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist. The parish has Polish Girl and Boy scouts.

The parish has a group of lecturers. The parish has a Schola BOBOLA choir.

The parish celebrates all events in the Christian calendar. Remembering old Polish tradition plays a large role within the community.