St Anselm's Church, Southall Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Anselm's Church, Southall
View of church entrance
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OS grid reference	TQ1698490416
Location	Southall, London
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	StAnselmChurchSouthall.com
History
Status	Active
Founded	1906 (1906)
Dedication	St Anselm of Canterbury
Architecture
Functional status	Parish Church
Architect(s)	Burles, Newton & Partners
Groundbreaking	17 June 1967
Completed	20 April 1968
Construction cost	£120,000
Administration
Deanery	Ealing
Archdiocese	Westminster
Province	Westminster

St Anselm's Church in Southall, London, is a Roman Catholic church. It's a special place of worship for the local community. The church is located on The Green, a main road in Southall. It was built between 1967 and 1968. Inside, you can see beautiful stained glass windows made by artists Patrick Reyntiens and Jerzy Faczynski.

This church is the only Catholic church in Southall. People from over fifty different countries attend services here, making it a very diverse community. The church also had a special center called the De Nobili Dialogue Centre. It was a place where people from different religions could meet and talk.

History of St Anselm's Church
Parish Life
- Community Groups
- School Connection
Inside the Church
See also

History of St Anselm's Church

Early Catholic Community

For a long time in England, after the English Reformation, it was difficult for Catholics to practice their faith openly. This period was known as "recusancy." Even during this time, Catholics lived in Southall. For example, in 1768, records show that a Catholic woman named Mary died in the area. Later, in 1807, a Catholic priest named Dr. Collins started a school in the local manor.

First Church Buildings

The St Anselm's parish officially began in 1906. The very first church building was quite unusual. It was located in a tithe barn of the Southall Manor House.

In 1919, the priest, Father William M. Buckle, wanted to build a proper church and school. He asked for donations to help make this happen. A year later, in 1920, a new building opened. It served as both a church and a small school for younger children.

The church was named after Saint Anselm. He was an important figure who had a manor nearby in Hayes around 1095. He would have traveled through Southall to get there.

As the school grew bigger, a new church building was needed. This new church opened in 1930. It was a long, low brick building with a small wooden bell tower next to it.

Building the Current Church

In 1932, Father Leo A. Ward became the new parish priest. He saw that the church needed to be even larger to fit everyone. So, he began the project to build the church you see today.

The foundation stone for the current church was laid on June 17, 1967. This was a special event led by Bishop Patrick Casey. The church was blessed on March 23, 1968. It was officially opened on April 20, 1968, by Cardinal John Heenan.

The church was designed by John Newton. The beautiful stained glass windows were created by Patrick Reyntiens. The windows in the side chapels were designed by Jerzy Faczynski. The old church building from 1930 became the school hall.

Since 2001, priests from the Society of Jesus (also known as Jesuits) have been serving the parish. They also started the De Nobili Dialogue Centre nearby. This center was named after Roberto de Nobili. It was a place where people from different faiths could meet, pray, and talk together.

Parish Life

Community Groups

St Anselm's Church is very active in the community. It works with the West London branch of Citizens UK, which helps people in the area. There is also a group of Missionaries of Charity who live in the parish. They work to help people who are poor. A group called Hope for Southall Street Homeless also uses the church and parish center to help those without homes.

School Connection

The church has a strong connection with the nearby St Anselm's Catholic Primary School. Different groups of students from the school come to the church for Mass each term. The whole school also celebrates Mass together regularly throughout the year.