Parish Profile - Brook Green by RCWestminster

Record | November 2013 Westminster

Parish Profile - Brook Green Westminster Record September 2011

Holy Trinity: A Country Parish in the Heart of Lon By Alex Balzanella

grey gabled frontage to the serve a three›course meal for Green. up to 70 homeless men and women. A graceful pinnacle To Fr Richard the church is Up to 40 are also able to stay overnight and are a wonderful space to worship, spire being just large enough served with breakfast before they Searching for Holy Trinity leave. Those who stay are five Sunday Masses to Church, Brook Green, you accommodate everyone, yetwelcome guests, not just the could be mistaken for missing poor. small enough to create a deserving sense it entirely although not of a parish family worshipping because it lacks stature! With together. its medieval›style stained glass

Blessed with how

and high tower this Gothic happily people get church completed in 1862 is A country parish in involved much more typical of grand the heart of London When I ask if there are any Victorian Church of England Both the church and itsparticularly active groups and buildings. societies I am met with such a environment are indeed After a short chat withbeautiful, but it is the large and diverse list that I can Parish Priest Fr Richard community Andrew keep up. spirit which ishardly so and Assistant Fr Gerard O’Brien special about parish life at Holy The parish has regular we go to view the interior of Trinity, illustrated mostmeetings vividly of Cafod, the Catholic which Cardinal Wiseman at the Family Mass each week: Children s Society, Legion of himself was much enamoured At the end of the MassMary, SVP and the Union of and the parish clergy are still there isn t a rush for people to Mothers. There are Catholic proud. get in their cars and head also prayer and visiting groups The depiction of the Lord’s home. Instead everyone spills in the parish as well as a Passion glows in the Eastonto the street, with families philosophy group for children. window, whilst a crucifixtaking hangs the chance to catch up We are very blessed with before the altar with angels with each other as well as how happily people get appearing to bear up the children roof. playing on theirinvolved says Fr Gerard. Fr Richard is keen to point out scooters and with their friends As well as these societies, the Church s entry in London on the Green. There s also Holy Trinity is constantly in Catholic Churches by often a cake stand afterwards demand for the sacramental Alexander Roffman, who too. life. Each Saturday morning describes Holy Trinity as having Fr Gerard agrees with Fr the parish hosts up to four a graceful pinnacle spire and Richard s assessment It Baptisms, s with over 150 in the incredible really with this last year. There are also 60 traditional building and children the presently preparing Green, it s just like a country for their first communion and The graceful spire of Holy Trinity, Brook Green parish in the heart of London. a continuous stream of

adults" seeking to enter the and events at the school. It attending events like the recent Guests not just theChurch through the RCIA. opening of the Francis Building really helps the pupils to fe The team of catechists at Larmenier. deserving poor responsible for the success Fr of Richard said: It s part of parish life. Indeed, Yet Holy Trinity is just a with such an active, vibrant the programmes are organised wonderful to have two schools short distance from the busy and attractive parish they d by Sister Jenefer Glencross. which want us to be actively Hammersmith interchange and involved in masses, assemblies Both Fr Richard and Fr Gerard, mad not to! in no way removed from the who have been at Holy Trinity particular challenges facing for two years, say how much any central London parish. they learnt from her about the Poverty, isolation and parish when they arrived. homelessness are common here, too and that led to the years of Faith parish becoming involved School in the West London Churches Key for many young Homeless Concern, a co› parishioners at Holy Trinity in and developing their operative enterprise withforming 14 Catholic faith is attendance at other churches in the local area and organised in theone of the two primary schools in the parish: Larmenier Sacred parish by Fey Dunnery. Heart and St Mary s. Both Fr Richard explained the schools are eager to be concept to me: Once a week involved with the parish, with from November parishioners the schools’ chaplain The East Window depicting the Huynh, Fr Richard Andrew, Sr Jenefer Glencross and Fr Ge host a night shelter in the Fr Gerard making weeklyAnja visits Passion of Christ O Brien parish hall when they cook to and each and Fr Richard Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/diocese.westminster