Parish Profile
Westminster Record February 2012
St Mary and St Michael - Commercial Road By Lucy Jenkinson Built over one hundred and fifty years ago, the church of St Mary and St Michael has been a well positioned spectator to the continuous process of change in the East End. The parish has survived two World Wars, fascist groups, the demise of the ship building industry in London, a continuous wave of migrants, and consistently high levels of deprivation. Commercial Road parish can therefore be described as an anchor holding the community around it together. Fr Quinn spoke about how the older generation in the parish feel extremely rooted in the area, to their particular roads and pubs and parades of shops. Whilst their children and grandchildren may have grown up elsewhere, families continue to return to Commercial Road to receive the Sacraments because of strong ties to the neighbourhood that is part of their heritage. The East End is a melting pot of cultures and faiths. Fr Quinn believes strongly in the importance of creating and maintaining good relations with other faith groups in the area. He emphasises the need for children from different backgrounds to mix with one another at a young age, with the hope of them continuing to respect and identify with one another as they grow up and reach adulthood. Despite the difference in beliefs, Fr Quinn highlighted the fact that many people in the East End suffer from the same problems. The
Fr Quinn by the Tabernacle and the impressive Nave of St Mary and St Michael
borough of Tower Hamlets, in which Commercial Road is situated, is one of the poorest in the country and faces the associated struggles with poverty, domestic violence and a gang culture. Fr Quinn is optimistic about fewer people turning to a life of crime, however and is keen to emphasise the positive nature of family life in the parish. Before coming to Commercial Road three years ago, Fr Quinn had been the Parish Priest at Northfields for 11 years. He saw the area undergo quite a transformation during that time, as he grew alongside many young professionals who moved in around the same time as him, and went on to have families of their own. Although he keeps in touch with some people, he feels that it is always good to move on to new challenges and Commercial Road is not short of those. Fr Tom Quinn welcomes the diversity of the parishioners and feels it contributes to the strong sense of a shared faith that exists in his parish. “Most churches have at least ten or twenty nationalities, maybe up to one hundred even.” Fr Tom said, “Here at Commercial Road we have over 300.” This staggering figure reflects the multicultural nature of the area but also illustrates the importance of a welcoming and inclusive parish church and priest who can make people from all backgrounds feel at ease.
The best thing about the parish according to Fr Quinn is the enthusiasm; “People are so willing to help with things, it’s brilliant,” he says. Fr Quinn goes on to say that, “Ultimately it’s about meeting people where they’re at and encouraging them to develop, as they encourage me to also. It’s hard to ask people to commit more time when they are working long shifts and have families of their own to look after, so it is often those things that constrain them rather than their not wanting to help.” Most people in the area still hold a great reverence for the church as it is a landmark on a historically important road. The building itself symbolises the desire of the Irish community who originally raised funds to build it, to make their mark in the area especially after the Restoration period. The continued preservation of the church and high Mass attendances are testimony to the proactive priests, members of religious orders and parishioners who, over the years, have remained dedicated to the church’s mission of caring for the vulnerable and providing a place of comfort and consistency to those passing through (refugees). One of the most striking features of the church itself is the Jubilee Window, installed at the end of last century in the side wall of the nave. The beautiful stained glass window depicts Our Lady and St Michael,
and catches the light in a spectacular way as the sun rises each morning. The parishioners of Commercial Road are supported by their Parish Priest and Sisters of Mercy in creating and maintaining strong links with other faith groups, schools and organisations in the surrounding area. Proud of their heritage but always looking to the future, Commercial Road is a strong and vibrant parish, with a beautiful church and a local community that are as dedicated as they are diverse.
Jubilee window
Mass times and information Sunday Mass (Sat 7pm), 9am, 11am Holy Day Mass 9.30am, 12.30pm, 7pm Weekday Mass Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 9.30am, Thu 8.30am For more info visit: www.rcdow.org.uk/Commercialroad or Tel: 0207 790 5911 2 Lukin Street, Commercial Road, London E1 0AA