Westminster Record March 2013
Parish Profile - Borehamwood
To build community; that’s our job Catholic parishes of The Borehamwood will, from March 2013, be playing host to a new foodbank which is being opened to serve those in need in Borehamwood in partnership with the Trussel Trust, Hertsmere Council and Caritas Westminster. The site of the foodbank will be St Teresa of the Child Jesus Catholic church, opposite Hertsmere council offices.
Finding of need The need for a food bank was determined by a feasibility study undertaken by Community Action Hertsmere. Fr Dominic McKenna, Parish Priest for the parishes of Borehamwood, spoke of how there was a clear finding of need in the area, with social housing charities ringing the parish to ask when it would be open because of the desperate situation some of their tenants faced. The feeling of need was also echoed in the parish as when he first muted the idea there was huge support and, as is often the case, “once you’re doing the right thing, it’s amazing the people who will come forward and say, let me help”. People in the parish showed huge generosity with the unit from which the food will be distributed being given by a parishioner as well as IT equipment being donated. Caritas Westminster, the Diocesan agency to identify and address poverty and social exclusion, are assisting in developing and funding the project giving over £3,000 to provide for three years’ membership to the Trussel Trust national foodbank service.
Foodbanks The Foodbank will provide crisis packs of food for those referred by registered Care Professionals who will provide a voucher for three days supply of meals, the minimum period in which social agencies should be in a position to assist. Typically users of foodbanks are those who are facing benefit or salary delays, are on low incomes, are suffering sickness or changes of circumstance. The foodbanks do not judge or comment on the situation of anyone who has a voucher, as Fr Dominic stressed that “in such a situation all someone should face is a smile, a cup of tea and being asked, what can I do to help?”
community is one which has been characteristic of the Borehamwood parishes since their formation. Both parishes were built to serve the sudden increase in Borehamwood’s population following from World War Two with the building of council housing for displaced Londoners. The influx of people meant that the Catholic parishes in the area had to be innovative on how they could meet the needs of parishioners, with Mass in Borehamwood North being celebrated in temporary locations including the home of the Parish Priest, Fr George Barringer, before the Church of St John Fisher & St Thomas More was built in 1957. Meanwhile the Church used for services in Borehamwood became far too small for the bourgeoning Catholic population and the present church was built in 1962 at the cost of £50,014.10.
Being of service Continuing the early legacy of the Borehamwood parishes by fostering community and being of service is something Fr Dominic feels passionately about, the parish social calendar is full of events which both encourage an exploration and discovery of faith whilst simultaneously building relationships. Most recently the parish held a ‘Pasta and Pancake party’, in preparation for Lent, which Fr Dominic described “as bringing over 150 people of all ages, allowing them to share in a meal and ends with a talk about Lent, for which the theme this year is random acts of kindness”.
Inside the Church of St Teresa’s
More Infornation Mass Times Borehamwood: St Teresa of the Child Jesus Sunday Mass (Sat 6pm), 10
Full of life Masses at Borehamwood are amongst the busiest of all religious services in the area with 900 regularly attending Sunday Masses. Particularly popular are the 10am & 12noon Masses which, Fr Dominic said, “are always full of life” with their children’s liturgies. The parishes, moreover, are growing with over 100 baptisms taking place in the last year alone.
Prior to being a Priest, Fr Dominic taught for 15 years at Cardinal Pole Catholic School in Hackney, before entering Allen Hall seminary in 1989. After which he served in Clapton, Dollish Hill and Camden Town before becoming Parish Priest to the Borehamwood parishes in May 2010. He spoke of his luck of The character of helping and being “having in my life two wonderful of service to others in the and fulfilling careers”.
Borehamwood North: SS John Fisher and Thomas More Sunday Mass 8.30, 12noon Contact Details St Teresa of the Child Jesus, 291 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, WD6 1TG Tel: 020 8953 1294 Web: www.catholicparishesofboreham wood.wordpress.com
Parishioners at a parish event
If you would like to become more invloved with the food bank in Borehamwood please contact Fr Dominic McKenna. For more information about Caritas and setting up a food bank in your own parish contact Jackie Tominey on 020 7931 6077 or email jackietominey@rcdow.org.uk Page 9