Westminster Record April 2009
Parish Profile Hitchin: part of the wider community By Fiona Paley Fr Michael Lambert has been parish priest of the Assumptionist parish of Our Lady and St Andrew in Hitchin for nine years. He is assisted by Fr Christopher Burgess. The current church building was consecrated in 1978, and is situated behind the original church which dates from 1902, but is now used as a hall. “The new church was designed to have a tent like feel,” explains Fr Michael, “the idea that we are pilgrims moving always towards God.” He points out some of the features that make this impressive church a thriving parish community.
We are blessed with many families and children and we are wanting to engage them more fully.” This is a sentiment echoed heavily by Trish, the Co-ordinator for Pastoral Ministry in the parish. Filled with energy and enthusiasm she describes the numerous projects that this parish has.” Fr Michael Lambert
“There’s the Mum’s and Toddler’s group and the Support Group for those with disabilities, as well as all the prayer groups.” Trish also tells me that they are encouraging every family to have a Eucharistic minister, and then they can take communion to sick family members at home. “You can’t do every family all in one go, but you can do it one by one and little by little.”
“Moving beyond the sense of Church as simply the parish”
“The Stations of the Cross were designed by a parishioner, Theodore Kerr, and he also designed the statue of Our Lady.” He directs me to a corner that is filled with books: “That’s our library that people may borrow from” and next to it is an area filled with children’s toys and books “That’s great for children and their parents too”. Children focused
Children are very much a focus for this parish: “There are loads of families and Mass attendance is around 650700,” he says. “At the 8.30am Mass we are looking to involve, in the near future, the children in a way which will suit them, in the Hall, where the sound system carries, during the sermon and up to the offertory. At 10.30am Mass we have a Liturgy of the Word for the 45 children who are aged between 4-7ish, divided into two Groups with Catechists and helpers.
The parish caters for its older parishioners with the Bethany club. This group meets every Tuesday in the parish hall and provides a lunch and activities for those who are able to attend. “It stops people getting lonely,” says Fr Michael. Sacramental preparation The parish is blessed with a Sacramental Co-ordinator, Jane, who works in partnership with Trish. The sacramental life of the parish is very full, with the emphasis very firmly on adult catechesis. Unusually the parish concentrates on preparing parents for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist and expects parents in their turn to prepare their children. A small team of catechists led by Jane support the confirmation programme. Each June there is a series of Adult Formation talks – topics to date have been the Eucharist,
Reconciliation and the Catholic Church since the Reformation. The parish baptism and marriage preparation courses are open to the deanery. Fr Michael is also the Dean of Stevenage. In Stevenage deanery, some 25 miles out of London, unsurprisingly, they often feel a little cut of from the central activities and hub of the Diocese in the centre of London. But Fr Michael stresses that this doesn’t stop them feeling part of the Diocese. Planning for the future When I comment that the parish seems self-sufficient both Trish and Fr Michael say that while it’s true and an asset, it is also something that might not be so good in the long term. “We are trying to move beyond the sense of Church as simply the parish”, says Fr Michael. “We have a Deanery Pastoral Council, that is fledgling shall we say?” he says smiling. “But it is encouraging people to see that while the parish is important it is also part of a wider community. We are learning to share resources and in that way planning for the future. “ Trish says that they are being very realistic: “We are very fortunate to be an Order parish as there is a network of support here already. But what about large parishes that have only one priest?” She also wants to
The original Church of Our Lady and St Andrew in Hitchin dates from 1902
emphasise that the parish is very much a part of the Diocese of Westminster, despite being so far away from Central London. “A lot of our parishioners work in central London. There are all sorts of things going on there that they could attend after work or in their lunchtimes. If we receive anything from the Diocese it goes straight on our notice boards and we tell people about it.”
However, from what Fr Michael and Trish have told me, encouraging people to step forward won’t be a problem for long.
It’s clear that Hitchin is a welcoming parish: “People always remark what a friendly parish we are and we have welcome packs for new parishioners and existing parishoners greet people as they come into the Church before Mass,” says Fr Michael. That spirit of friendliness is a way in which people in the parish can be helped to explore and deepen their faith - but it remains a challenge, as Fr Michael explains: “ It’s sometimes hard to encourage people to get involved and see the little jobs as ministries. We have many who are sharing in the Ministry of the Word and Eucharistic Ministry in Church and for the wider parish but people always seem surprised when I talk about the ministry of cleaning the church or flower arranging-even the Counting Ministry! But it is just as important as any other job that needs doing.”
The spacious and light filled interior of Our Lady and St Andrew today
Statue of Our Lady designed by parishoner Theodre Kerr