St Joseph Church

Introduction

St Joseph Church in Harrow Weald was founded by the Salvatorians in 1901 as their first house in the UK.

History

Catholic mass was held in the public hall at Wealdstone from 1892, with a formal mission established in 1899. A temporary church was built in 1905 after the Salvatorians purchased the site, replaced by a tin church in 1906/7.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is built of snecked Cotswold stone with tile roofs, oriented with the altar to the west. The church has a prominent east tower with a crenellated parapet and a dramatic east elevation facing the High Road. The South Chapel Annunciation window is by Nuttgens. Adrian Gilbert Scott designed this church in a broadly Arts and Crafts style with Gothic revival influences, built between 1929 and 1931.

The east elevation features a tall pointed arch framing the main east door, adorned with a carved crucifixion and statuary. Inside, the church is rendered and painted white, with stone piers and arches, and arched plastered roofs with exposed wooden tie beams. A north-east stair turret contains a spiral stone staircase leading to the organ gallery and tower, which houses a single bell. The original pulpit with copper cover was repositioned in 1991.

The organ is a digital instrument by Makin with 63 stops over three manuals and a floating division. The present church opened in 1931, built to serve a congregation that had outgrown the tin building.

Music and liturgy

Five sung liturgies are celebrated each week at St Joseph's. St Joseph's offers an organ scholarship for a secondary school age person, including a small stipend and support for funded organ lessons.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish runs a Confirmation programme starting in the autumn, with registration announced in the parish newsletter. The First Communion and First Confession programme begins in the autumn, with enrolment announced in the parish newsletter. First Holy Communion and First Confession are parish-based, not school-based, bringing children from many school communities together.

The adult initiation programme normally begins in the autumn and leads to reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil. The adult initiation programme involves regular meetings with other enquirers and their sponsors. For marriage, the parish requires six months' notice as a Diocesan requirement.