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London: North London parish celebrates 150th anniversary


Our Lady Help of Christians

Our Lady Help of Christians

A week of celebrations has just ended at Our Lady Help of Christians, in Kentish Town, north London, marking the 150th anniversary of the parish. The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and former priests who served in the parish: The Archbishop of Cardiff, Most Rev George Stack, Canon Patrick Browne, Canon Stuart Wilson and Fr Patrick Cormac from Tipperary, all visited during the week.

The Opening Mass was celebrated on Sunday 19 October, by Archbishop George Stack who served in Kentish Town from 1983 to 1990. During his homily, he said he had very happy memories of the community there and praised the faith and dedication of the parishioners. The Archbishop recalled driving up to the north of England to collect the beautiful statue of Our Lady Help of Christians, which now has pride of place on the right side of the altar. The statue was tied in the back seat of his car for the 200-mile journey and received some puzzled looks from drivers on the motorway!

Canon Stuart Wilson, now Parish Priest at St Mary's Cadogan Square, conducted a Holy Hour in which he reflected on the theme of ‘memories’ - our spiritual/parish journey through Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage and ending our journey at one’s funeral.  There were the happy times, the joyful times, the sad times, the anxious times yet people have still come and brought all this to God.

Fr Stuart paid tribute to the Methodists who built the beautiful Church and recalled its consecration later as a home for the Catholic community, reflecting on the fact that while we talk about structure of a building retaining memories, it is the people who worship in such a building who make it what it is and allow the faith to be carried on. Fr Stuart also mentioned some memories he personally took away from his time in the parish and said he was struck by the very deep faith of people in spite of the many crosses that some folk carried. Fr Stuart praised Fr Michael O’Boy, who served as his curate and had been very supportive.

Canon Pat Browne - now Parish Priest in Pimlico and Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Houses of Parliament, also led a Holy Hour. Reflecting on his time in the parish, he recalled the visit of Mother Teresa . His friendship with her began several years earlier when he was private secretary to Cardinal Hume. One evening there was a knock on the door at Clergy House and Mother Teresa was there for an unexpected visit! While she was in London, she asked Fr Pat to accompany her and some sisters to Downing Street where she had an appointment with Mrs Thatcher. At first the officials said only Mother Teresa could go upstairs to meet the Iron Lady, but after a few minutes Fr Pat was invited upstairs as well and witnessed an encounter between two of the most famous women of the 20th century. A couple of years later, Fr Pat visited Mother Teresa in Calcutta and said Mass for her there when she was ill. Mother Teresa made her memorable visit to Kentish Town in 1993. So many people attended that the streets around the church were blocked with traffic.

The special week included a Mass with the children of the parish school, St Patrick's, an exhibition and parties for the children and teenagers and a classical variety concert.

Yesterday, Sunday 26 October, Cardinal Vincent Nichols came to celebrate the Closing Mass of the week. He spoke about the importance of parish life, saying: "As we celebrate, we are right not to simply looks backwards but also to look forward." Referring to the reading of the day - the greatest commandment is that you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul, and the second, to love your neighbour as yourself. Cardinal Vincent said these words come from the very heart of the Jewish faith in the phrase which ends 'and you shall teach your children these words'. Observant Jews keep on a scroll with this text over the front door of their homes, he said. "How much we can learn from that - to keep those words at the heart of our daily life. If we have that basic foundation in our daily lives we will be ready for the next 150 years." Cardinal Vincent encouraged families to build a habit of praying together each day.

The next commandment, to love one's neighbour, is not sentimental but practical advice, the Cardinal said. He quoted Pope Francis, who says in ‘Joy of the Gospel’: 'Look to Mary as a star of evangelisation'. What she does is to bring forth from within her, Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. She is bringing Him to our attention. That we can have that assuredness and stability which comes from knowing Jesus.

We are encouraged to bring forth the presence of Jesus to others through our own lives. "Pope Francis said: Mary is the one able to turn a stable into a home, " Cardinal Nichols said, explaining that that is our work too .. "Turning what is rough and ready and hostile and harsh into something that is filled with love, gentleness and kindness. .. Anyone who is working to do that is not far from the Kingdom of God…. anyone doing that for their family just needs our encouragement. Making the light of the Gospel shine in our world."

Cardinal Vincent went on to point out that Mary makes sure that wine is not lacking for the celebrations. He said: "Mary is the one who brings to us the riches and the joy of life and helps us to celebrate. And that too is part of the work of evangelisation. To really show that there is joy in the Gospel. Pope Francis said to his priests: 'Don't be preaching as if you've just come from a funeral. Let the joy of the Gospel be there. Let it be seen. And that’s what Mary does. "

The third thing that makes Mary the star of evangelisation is that she understands pain, the Cardinal said. "Her heart has been pierced. She has stood at the foot the cross, she knows human suffering. She shares the pain that we experience. That too is an act of evangelisation… when we are alongside someone helping them to bear that pain. Gently relating it to the suffering of Christ and making it part of the offering of our lives that we make to God .. because we love him with all our minds, hearts, all our all our strength."

The Cardinal concluded: "Today we thank God for the gifts of the past 150 years of this parish and we look forward and ask His blessing in these next 150 years, that this parish will be known for its missionary endeavour, its outreach to those in need and to be faithful disciples of Jesus after the fashion of Our Lady Help of Christians. "

The celebrations ended with a party and barbecue in the parish hall and garden. The current parish priest, Father Tom Forde, who has served in Kentish Town for 12 years, received a standing ovation for his dedication to the parish.

For more införmation on Our Lady Help of Christians, Kentish Town, see: http://parish.rcdow.org.uk/kentishtown/

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