St Margaret Clitherow, Dulwich Wood Park

Introduction

A mission was founded in 1952, with Mass offered in various South Dulwich locations from 1950, served from West Norwood.

History

The church hall opened in 1961 and doubled as hall and temporary church; the presbytery followed in 1966. Work on the church started in 1973, with architect Anthony Stalley of Broadbent, Hastings Reid & Todd.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is T-shaped on plan, with nave, chancel, two side transepts, and sacristy accommodation to the rear of the sanctuary. The structure consists of box section portal frames on mass concrete bases with ground beams supporting non-loadbearing walls faced in dark russet brick. The roof is covered with dark grey interlocking concrete tiles and is raised in pyramidal form over the sanctuary area, with lean-to transept and sacristy roofs around it. The church is entered via an open porch at the west end with a tall window above, leading into a narthex with gallery over.

Within the main worship space the walls are plastered and painted white and the ceilings finished in fissured acoustic tiles. The floor of the sanctuary is finished in wood mosaic and the remaining floors in vinylised mastic tiles. The painted Stations of the Cross were donated by a canon of St Matthew’s, West Norwood. The Knights of St Columba donated a Crucifix to hang over the altar.

The seating came from a redundant church in Salford. In 1995 a pipe organ was brought to the church from a United Reformed church in Upper Norwood. The chief furnishings include the Stations of the Cross, Belgian and dating probably from the third quarter of the nineteenth century. In 2000 a stained glass window depicting St Margaret Clitherow by John Lawson of Goddard and Gibbs was installed in the window over the main entrance.

Parish life

The parish community in South East London has many nationalities represented within its faith family. The parish is auditing the different groups that work as part of the Parish or collaboratively with the Parish.

The parish's mission is to make church matter by growing disciples among disconnected Catholics in Dulwich and influencing churches to do the same elsewhere. The parish's strategy is to creatively reach out to disconnected Catholics in the South London community with a fresh and relevant presentation of the Gospel.

Confirmation is open to young people who belong to the parish, with candidates required to be in year 8 or above at school. The parish celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation each year, usually in late February, with preparation beginning in early January.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish welcomes parents of mixed faith for baptism, emphasising what they share in common. Marriage preparation requires a minimum of six months' notice in every case.

The parish remembers the sick and housebound regularly in prayer. The confirmation program begins with a Mass for all candidates, their families, sponsors and catechists, after which candidates meet on Saturday mornings. The First Holy Communion program runs from early January to May.