St. Bernardine of Siena, Buckingham

Introduction

Interest-free loans of £200 were raised, and the church was consecrated in August 1982.

History

The first Mass was said in a rented cottage in Elm Street, and the first chapel was then set up at 9 Chandos Road. By the end of 1895 Father Thaddeus Hermans had obtained a site on the London Road and had built his college. The college was placed under Saint Bernardine, and the parish of Saint Bernardine was set around the college. Twelve Baptisms are recorded in the registers for 1900.

In 1912 the college chapel was blessed and opened for public worship. Father Christopher Ullyatt (OFM) died two weeks before the church was blessed on 26th October 1974. In 1989 the parish came into the care of the Diocese of Northampton. The architect designed the resin front door, filled with sand, and the similarly designed altar front.

Architecture and furnishings

Statues of Saint Anthony, Saint Francis and Saint Bernardine, the font, the church bell, and the organ and organ pipes came from the original college chapel. A man of Buckfast Abbey, then 84, made the side window in Dalle De Verre glass. Twelve copper-coloured consecration crosses stand on the interior walls. In 1993 the statue of Our Lady was donated in memory of Ernie Taylor.

The Tabernacle surround is wood decorated in gold leaf and reflects features of the Calvary. The Calvary was made from ten panels, and its design is similar to the triptych in Northampton cathedral. The Calvary depicts Christ ascending from the cross and closely resembles the Crucifix of Saint Damiano.

Music and liturgy

Children’s Liturgy during the first part of Mass is led by a group. A liturgy group for young children uses small-group discussion and activity sheets to make the gospel and readings more accessible.

At each Mass, two or more attendants drawn from a rota welcome people and look after the offertory collection, the offertory procession and other organisation. A team organised on a rota arranges the flowers each week.

Parish life

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are commissioned for one year at the Maundy Thursday Mass, when they gather before the altar for prayers taken from the Order for the Commissioning of Lay Ministers of Holy Communion. Nineteen extraordinary ministers serve, and two are normally present at each weekend Mass.

The parish provides children’s religious instruction because the area has no state Catholic primary school. Children are placed in age groups and are welcome from the age of six.

Altar servers are active, and they are drawn predominantly from the younger generation. Parishioners take turns when the lessons are read at Mass.

Parishioners support the APF Red Box appeal, which is collected and counted once a year. The parish is a registered Fairtrade parish and sells Fairtrade goods after Masses on the first weekend of each month. Parishioners regularly support other missionary work through special collections throughout the year.

Volunteers on a rota serve tea, coffee, squash and biscuits. Visits to places of historical and religious interest are arranged from time to time.

A flower room supplies new oasis, extra stands, bowls, water and clearing equipment. Six groups of two or three volunteers dust, sweep and polish the church for its basic weekly cleaning, using materials that are supplied.

Services have no dress code. Parish accounts are published annually on the notice board, together with a Finance Committee report. The Finance Committee meets quarterly.

Sacraments and pastoral care

An extraordinary minister may carry Holy Communion to the sick at home or in hospital, and may lead a Word and Communion service if the priest or deacon is absent. Catechetics for children of school age is taught by a small team of catechists. Children in Year 3 are offered preparation for First Communion and First Reconciliation. Older children may remain in classes until Confirmation preparation begins at age 11.

Since early 2002 the parish has taken part in multi-diocese projects, first in the Horn of Africa, then Brazil until 2006, then “focus africa”, paid for by direct giving and social events while the Fast Days continue. Wedding and funeral flowers are not usually prepared by the flower team, though the team will help if asked.