St Anselm's Church, Southall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Anselm's Church, Southall |
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View of church entrance
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| OS grid reference | TQ1698490416 |
| Location | Southall, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | http://www.rcdow.org.uk/Southall/ |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Dedication | St Anselm of Canterbury |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1968 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Ealing |
| Archdiocese | Westminster |
| Province | Westminster |
St Anselm's Church in Southall is a Roman Catholic church. It is a local parish church, which means it serves the Catholic community in its area. The church is looked after by priests from the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits.
You can find St Anselm's Church on The Green, a main road in Southall, London. It is the only Catholic church in Southall. People from over fifty different countries attend services here, making it a very diverse and welcoming place.
Contents
The History of St Anselm's Church
St Anselm's Church has had an interesting journey. It has been in three different buildings since it started in 1906.
The First Church Building
The very first St Anselm's Church opened in 1906. It was not a new building at all! Instead, it was set up inside a tithe barn. A tithe barn was a special building used long ago to store crops given to the church. This barn was part of the old Southall Manor House. The church stayed in this barn for about 14 years.
The Second Church Building
In 1920, the church moved into a new building. This building was quite clever because it had two parts. One part was used as the church itself. The other part was a hall that also held a small school for younger children.
As more and more children joined the school, it needed more space. So, in 1930, a brand new church building was opened right next to the school. This new church was a long, low building made of brick. It even had a small wooden tower for its bell.
The Current Church Building
Even with the new church, the school kept growing and needed to expand again. Because of this, the church moved to its current location in 1968. The old church building then became the school hall, which helped the school get bigger.
Since 2001, priests from the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) have been serving the people of St Anselm's parish.
Community Life at St Anselm's
St Anselm's Church is a busy place with many activities for its community. It works closely with local groups and has a special connection with a nearby school.
Parish Groups and Activities
The church is home to many different groups. One important group is a local justice and peace society. They meet to talk about important issues in the world and work to promote social justice in their area. This means they try to make things fair and right for everyone.
The church also works with the West London branch of Citizens UK. This is a group that helps people in communities work together to make positive changes.
There is also a special community of nuns called the Missionaries of Charity who live in the parish. They are known for their work helping people who are poor or in need in the area.
Working with the School
St Anselm's Church has a very close relationship with St Anselm's Catholic Primary School. This means the church and school often work together. Different groups of students from the school come to the church to celebrate Mass (a special church service) each term. The whole school also has regular Masses throughout the year.
The De Nobili Dialogue Centre
For a time, the De Nobili Dialogue Centre was part of the parish and worked closely with the church. This was a special centre run by the Jesuits. Its main goal was to encourage inter-religious dialogue. This means it created a space for people from different faiths and beliefs to meet, talk, and learn from each other in a friendly way.
The centre was named after Roberto de Nobili. He was an Italian Jesuit missionary who went to India in the 1600s. He was famous for learning and respecting local customs to share his Christian message. The centre helped people from Southall's many different cultures and religions come together for prayer and discussion. It also had links with a similar centre at Heythrop College, University of London.
See also
- List of Jesuit sites in the United Kingdom
- List of Catholic churches in the United Kingdom
