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Part 1
The following represents the first stage in reproducing and updating the parish history which was published in May 1992. More extracts will be added in due course.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel & St George
Enfield by Herbert J. J. Vaughan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Four or five years ago, a member of the congregation, Mark Alder, marvelling at the vast number
of events which must have been brought to my attention in the course of a long involvement in the production of
the Newsletter, expressed the view that those happenings should be permanently recorded for the benefit of future
generations; in short, he urged me to write my memoirs. The proposal was given a cool reception and suitably pigeon-holed
until last November, when it was renewed and backed by the Parish Council as part of the church's forthcoming silver
jubilee celebrations. Much against my better judgement I fell in with those entreaties and undertook the task despite
its size and the short space in which to carry it out. Herbert Vaughan
Chapter 1: THE REVIVAL OF THE OLD FAITH
At last, £1,000 was given to build a house for a resident priest. The first name we meet is that of Fr. O'Rourke, who lived at 56 Wellington Road. He looked after the Enfield Mission and took over the school at Ponders End (on 27th February, 1899), but only stayed a year and was followed by Fr. O'Gorman who built the old church. He was an Irishman, ordained in 1889, and only thirty-five years old when he came to Enfield after travelling halfway around the world. After holding Missions in England and Scotland, he had gone, in 1896, to the Australian goldmines at Kalgoorlie, where he played a great part in the religious and political life of the community. He left in 1899 because of ill-health, which is probably why he was chosen to be a member of a delegation from Kalgoorlie to the Parliament at Westminster to arrange for a federation of the colonies in Australia. The delegation was not successful but it brought a new parish priest to Enfield. He, too, must have been a great worker, for he arrived only in April, 1900, yet he started to build the church on the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 16th July of the same year. The foundation stone was laid by Bishop Brindle, D.S.O., on 15th September, 1900, and the church was opened by Cardinal Vaughan on 14th April, 1901. The name of the church has fluctuated over the years. Fr. Bampfield placed all his churches under the protection of Mary Immaculate. In 1900, the church was called Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, but, a year later it was St. Mary and St. George. Now we have returned to the old title of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, but have retained St. George. Fr. O'Gorman was an autocrat, as can be seen from his photograph, but a very charitable man, who got on well with his non-Catholic neighbours, whilst defending the faith and preaching it with all his might and main. He was quite ready to send round to his non-Catholic friends to say that he was preaching a good sermon that evening and that they should attend. Whilst parish priest of Enfield, he went to Rome to take a doctorate, and soon after his return he left Enfield for Tottenham and, later, Bow. He died quite young and was buried at Glastonavon, the Passionist House in Dublin. One of his last acts in Enfield, in 1905, was to reopen Fr. Bampfield's chapel as a school, which, in 1911, came under the direction of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth came to Enfield at the beginning of this century. They are members of a congregation founded in 1875 by a Polish lady Frances Siedliska Mother Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Cardinal Vaughan met her in Rome in 1895 and invited her to establish a house in London to help refugee Poles. The Sisters came and were attached to the Church of the Fathers of Divine Love at Bethnal Green. From there, Bishop Fenton, an Auxiliary of Westminster, invited them to come to Enfield. Starting on 1st May, 1902, they travelled daily to Ponders End, where they took over the school. Soon, however, they found a house here Holmwood on the Bycullah Estate and established a convent there on 22nd July, 1902. Nine Sisters came. On 28th September, 1907, the convent was moved to its present position in London Road. Fr. O'Gorman's immediate successors were Fr. George Cox, Fr. Hazell (1906-1908) and Fr. Adkins (1908-1910). But, no doubt, the most illustrious priest to look after Enfield was Fr. Adrian Fortescue, who administered the parish when Fr. O'Gorman was in Rome. He was, of course, the famous liturgist, which explains why the excellence of the service was praised even in the secular press. In 1910, Fr. Adkins exchanged places with the parish priest of Warley in Brentwood a certain Fr. Denis Tuohy. Fr. Adkins stayed in Warley until his death in 1937. Fr. Tuohy stayed in Enfield throughout two world wars, witnessing the growth of Enfield between the wars and, finally, the destruction of the church. For thirty years, he worked to build up his parish and to wipe out the debt. At last, he succeeded then came the war. And on the night of 15th November, 1940 it was a Friday a land-mine fell in London Road between the church and the convent. No one in the two buildings was killed, but the structures themselves were ruined. The roof was blown off the church and it was rendered useless. No wonder Fr. Tuohy sat in his ruined church and wept. Where to go? Providentially, a place was ready. Fr. Tuohy and Canon Craven had collaborated to build a Catholic school in Gordon Road. Canon Craven (now Bishop Craven) was the Administrator of the Crusade of Rescue and lived near the home in Holtwhites Hill. It had been suggested that it would be a good thing if the children of St. Joseph's moved outside the limits of the home and attended the same school as the parish children. So a large school was built to accommodate children from the home and from the parish. It was opened on 26th June, 1939. Now this school had a big assembly hall. It was here that Fr. McDonald, the assistant priest, transferred the Blessed Sacrament from the ruined church. Mass was said there on 17th November, and from then on the hall was used continually until the new church in London Road was built. Fr. Tuohy did not see the resurrection of the Enfield church. He retired to Ireland in 1944 and died there in 1953. His successors continued to use the hall whilst planning to rebuild on the old site. (Reprinted by courtesy of Fr John O'Halloran, M.A.)
Chapter 2: A NEW DAWN AIthough there appears to be no reason why the rest of the world should attach special significance
to 28th November, 1950, the day left an indelible mark on the local scene. It witnessed the appointment of a parish
priest who was destined to preside over a period of reconstruction and growth, and whose name would become firmly
linked to this corner of the diocese. He was Fr. Denis O'Sullivan, who had been trained for the priesthood at the
seminary of St. Sulpice, in Paris, and whose Ordination, in 1932, had been followed by spells of service at Hackney
and Ten years had by then elapsed since the war time 'incident' in which the church had been so badly damaged that the local authority had ordered its demolition, together with that of the presbytery and ancillary building. For ten years, the congregation had been compelled to take refuge at St. George's School their "waters of Babylon", by which, metaphorically speaking, they sat and wept at the recollection of their lost temple. To Fr. O'Sullivan would fall the task of rebuilding the church and leading his flock back to their spiritual home in London Road. But before achieving that rebirth, he would have to face much arduous work over and above that of ministering to the needs of his people, passing on to them a spark from his own enthusiasm and drive, and encouraging them in their pursuit of the common goal. There would be the claim for war damages to press, and the seemingly endless negotiations with the Town Planning authorities, Enfield Urban District Council, the Ministry of Transport and the County authorities on the provision of a suitable site. The plot on which the old church had stood had been earmarked for laying out as one of today's prime necessities: a public car park. However, just as all good things come to an end, so do bad ones, and eventually the problem was solved. Plans were drawn up by Mr. John E. Sterrett, A.R.I.B.A., "in the closest possible conformity with the known requirements of the Reverend D. O'Sullivan, and with the complete approval of the diocesan authorities"; tenders were invited and work commenced in April, 1956. By 27th October, the building was ready for the placing of the foundation stone. a ceremony performed by the Rt. Rev. George L. Craven, M.C., one of the Auxiliaries in Westminster. The bishop's duties that afternoon may well have been selfimposed and regarded by him as a welcome opportunity for a brief return to a favourite spot. He had, after all, lived in the parish at one time; had, like many others before and since, grown fond of the locality and had, with minor adjustments to a familiar theme, assured those present at a Confirmation that an eventual autopsy would reveal the name Enfield engraved on his heart. Visiting here was to him like a homecoming and, at the end of a ceremony at which he had presided, he would as like as not dismiss the cross-bearer and the acolytes and walk out unaccompanied, exchanging greetings with many an old friend in the congregation. Mass was said at St. George's School for the last time on the Feast of St. Gabriel, 1958; the next day it was said for the first time in the new church. The first sung Mass was celebrated on the Feast of the Annunciation by the parish priest of Waltham Cross, thus commemorating the connection between the two parishes in the days of the post-Reformation chapel and its successor, the old church in London Road, both of which were at one time served by their Hertfordshire neighbours. The church was officially opened on 2nd July, 1958. At 6.30 that evening His Grace, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev. William Godfrey, D.D., Ph.D., presided from the throne as Solemn High Mass was celebrated by the Very Rev. Canon Richard Fairhall, assisted by Fr. Joseph McEntee, deacon, and Fr. George Groves, sub-deacon. Also present in the sanctuary, as the official photograph shows, was the Rt. Rev. Laurance Goulder,
M.A., Protonotary Apostolic and Master of the Guild of Our Lady of Ransom. He was for many years resident in the
parish, though not frequently seen at its services. He maintained a private oratory at his home in Wellington Road;
his administrative duties called him to London; and at weekends he would be taking the Mass to some rural area
where the appearance of a Catholic priest was a rare The Mayor represented the local authority. The late Vincent Jolley, A.R.I.B.A., has left this appreciation: Our earliest ecclesiastical architecture began when Constantine the Great, the Roman Emperor, embraced the faith and in A.D. 324 removed the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium (later renamed "Constantinople" in commemoration of the Emperor). The early Christians were enabled to emerge from their long, dark sojourn in the catacombs, and the joy of this freedom is easily traced in the various arts of the period. The first essential was to provide shelter where the Holy Mass and other services of the Church could be celebrated in a worthy atmosphere. In Rome, there existed a number of large halls, which the Romans had built as Courts of Justice or Exchange. These halls, known as "Basilicas" (derived from the Greek word meaning "the palace of a king"), were adapted for use as churches, and it is interesting to note that the name Basilica became synonymous with Church and still persists. The basilica form is a long rectangle (Nave), with one or two aisles on each side. At the eastern end is a raised semi-circular projection (Apse), which formerly contained the seats of the judge and tribunal. This space was convenient for alteration into the Sanctuary. For the full width of the building, at the western or entrance end, there is a vaulted corridor or vestibule (Narthex) used by Catechumens. Only a few of the original basilicas now exist, but this type of building was developed in the Byzantine and Romanesque styles and is the germ of the later great Gothic cathedrals. Our new church is strongly reminiscent of a small basilica (examples to be seen in Rome are St. Clemente, St. Agnese Fuori le Mura, and St. Sabina simple, dignified buildings dating from the fifth century A.D., and so redolent of sanctity). The plan form of our building comprises Narthex, Nave, single aisles and Apse. Two rows of columns support the nave walls divided into five bays. Plain semi-circular arches spring from each column immediately above the abacus of the Ionic capitals, and, true to tradition, there is no intervening entablature. The eye is gently directed towards the Sanctuary by the rhythm of the columns and arches. As the Sanctuary floor is well elevated, all in the body of the church are given a good view. During the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance periods of architecture, much elaboration was spent on the Altar and its setting A favourite feature was a Baldachin, a highly decorated canopy supported on columns and placed centrally in the Apse. A well-designed Sanctuary should be spacious and consequently Baldachini should be erected where there is a larger Sanctuary than usual, as in a Cathedral (such as in our own Westminster Cathedral and St. Peter's, Rome both examples of Baldachini of great beauty). Otherwise, the convenience, proportion and majesty of the Sanctuary are seriously impaired. For our church, we have the plain Altar Table, which was customary in early times. Behind the
Altar is a framed background surmounted by a Tester, all formed in Sapele mahogany. The Tester takes the curve
of the arch and vault of the Sanctuary and the infilling of crimson drapery provides the required emphasis to this
focal point and forms a suitable foil to the beautiful hanging crucifix Coming to the exterior of the building, a good quality brick has been selected. The tower over the main entrance marks its purpose for the beholder approaching along the London Road. If we are not allowed to have bells (by reason of the covenant on the land), we still have the nobility and symbolism of a tower. On each side of the tower are the projecting semi-circular ends of the Narthex, which completes the elevation to the east. Some may make the point that our church is wrongly "oriented" a term in architecture referring to the position of a building in relation to the points of the compass. In modern times orientation is considered to be of less importance than the convenient placing of a church on its site.
Chapter 3: THE GOLDEN YEAR The year 1967 produced a number of events which, in Canon O'Sullivan's view, qualified it for
a gold award. The highlight was undoubtedly the consecration of the THE CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH This ceremony took place on 16th July and was carried out by the Rt. Rev. Patrick J. Casey, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, assisted by the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Canon Maurice Kelleher, President of St. Edmund's College, and the Very Rev. Monsignor Bruce Kent, M.A., Chaplain to London University, who consecrated Our Lady's altar and the Blessed Sacrament chapel respectively. Mid-afternoon on that historic day found the congregation assembled on the forecourt outside the closed and empty church. At the appointed hour, the Bishop, vested in penitential purple, with his assistants, and their attendants emerged from the presbytery, whence, preceded by cross-bearer and acolytes, they walked in procession to the main door of the church. Purification and dedication of the building CEREMONY OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
Walking round the outside of the building, the Bishop sprinkled the walls with specially prepared holy water known as Gregorian Water. This and the subsequent stages of the ceremony contain a twofold element: obligatory prayers, laid down in the Rituale Romanum, the Church's book for the ordering of ceremonial; and optional antiphons, psalms and hymns, which are left to the choice of each individual parish community.
ENTRY INTO THE BUILDING The Bishop knocked on the door three times with his crozier.
Whereupon the doors were flung open. The Bishop traced a cross on the threshold, saying: "Behold the sign of the Cross. Let all phantoms flee. " Then, preceded by the cross, he led the people into the building.
The Litany of the Saints was then sung in procession, the invocations to Our Lady and St George being repeated three times. And this stage was closed by the Bishop with the appropriate prayer. INTERNAL PURIFICATION OF THE BUILDING Walking round the inside of the building, the Bishop sprinkled the walls with Gregorian water.
PURIFICATION OF THE ALTAR After sprinkling the High Altar with Gregorian water the other Consecrators doing the same at their respective altars the Bishop traced five crosses on its upper surface with the same water, saying each time: "May this altar be hallowed, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."
TAKING POSSESSION AND DEDICATION OF THE BUILDING Sand being spread on the floor before the sanctuary in the form of a cross, the Bishop traced with his crozier a complete alphabet along each line, first the Greek then the Latin alphabet, to indicate that he was taking possession of the building in the name of God, who is Lord of all creation.
After reciting the prayer concluding this first part of the rite, the Bishop laid aside his purple vestments and changed them for white ones for the remainder of the ceremony. Translation of the Relics The Bishop and clergy made their way to a specially prepared chapel in the presbytery to collect the Relics of the Martyrs. These were carried in procession to the church by a Deacon wearing red vestments.
BURIAL OF THE RELICS Arrived in the sanctuary, the Bishop censed the Relics. Then he carried them to the altar and laid them in the small sepulchre prepared for them in the centre of the table.
SEALING OF THE SEPULCHRE After blessing the cement, the Bishop sealed the lid of the sepulchre.
Consecration of church and altar The walls of the church were then anointed with sacred Chrism at twelve places where a block of stone had been let into the wall. At each anointing the Bishop said: "May this temple be hallowed and consecrated in the name of the Father and o f the Son and of the Holy Ghost: in God's honour and in memory of Our Lady and Saint George." Each anointed cross was then censed and a lighted candle placed beneath it.
CONSECRATION OF THE ALTAR The table of the altar was then anointed with Chrism at the five points marked with crosses, with the words: "May this altar be signed, hollowed and consecrated in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: in God's honour and in memory of Our Lady and Saint George." Then the front of the altar and each corner where it joins the base were anointed, with the words: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."
OFFERING OF INCENSE
Grains of burning incense were then heaped on the altar at the five points marked with crosses:
VESTING OF THE ALTAR At this stage the Bishop and clergy retired to the sacristy. The ceremony was followed by a reception in the grounds of the Holy Family Convent, when His Lordship met the Mayor and other civic dignitaries as well as local clergy. No attendance figures are available, but it is on record that the Sisters and their helpers served 3,000 cups of tea that afternoon. In the early evening, the Bishop was the chief concelebrant at a Solemn Mass of Dedication, assisted by his two co-consecrators and by Fr. Clifford Taunton, S.J., Superior of St. Ignatius, Stamford Hill; Fr. John Marriott, parish priest of Wembley, and former parish priest of Enfield; Fr. Philip Rogers, parish priest of Waltham Cross; Fr. Peter Hackett, S.J., headmaster of St. Ignatius College; Fr. John O'Halloran, M.A., of Finchley Grammar School, a former assistant; and Fr. Brian Reynolds, assistant priest. Canon O'Sullivan conducted the congregational singing. The Kyrie Eleison, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei were sung in English from the Colin Mawby Mass; the Credo and Pater Noster were sung in Latin.
A few months before the big event, the sanctuary had been reconstructed "so that Mass might be celebrated in the way advised by the various liturgical directives." Originally, the sanctuary floor lay two steps up from the nave of the church. The high altar, in its traditional position atop three steps and close to the rear wall, was surmounted by a tester, which served the double purpose of deflecting rising sound and reflecting the 18-bulb light source built into it. The side walls were covered with an ornamental wooden surround. The transformation required the removal of the tabernacle to the Sacred Heart chapel, whose statue was moved out; the tester was taken down, and so was the ornamental woodwork; and the floor was raised to the level of the top altar step. Interestingly, the work was carried out in D.I.Y. style by a team composed of bricklayers, plasterers, painters, carpenters and some brawny lads who were able and ready to wheel barrow loads of cement. The whole undertaking was achieved with maximum efficiency and minimum disturbance. Earlier in the year the parish entered the communications field. There was so much happening
that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the left hand to know what the right one was up to. This was addressed
by introducing a monthly Newsletter "simply to give information, so that everyone in the parish knows what
is going on." The editorial work was entrusted to Roy Grant, who got the publication off to a good start in
March, and produced it until business commitments compelled him to lay down his blue pencil. His successor, the
present editor, took over in October 1968 "until someone better qualified comes forward." Soon, purely
"parish pump" notices were bolstered up with information on wider-ranging events. The distribution too
was enlarged, and today the Newsletter reaches not only members of the congregation but a number of interested
parties, such as former clergy and parishioners, local churches and hospital patients (and their visitors). A few
years ago, Bishop Harvey asked parishes in the North London area to let him have copies of their magazines so that
he could follow their activities. His name was placed on the mailing list and, when he moved away from St. Charles'
Square, he made a point of advising his new address. Writing on another matter, he added: "May I take this
opportunity of saying how much I enjoy the Newsletter. It really must be one of the most effective in the diocese."
Canon O'Sullivan, a regular reader and occasional contributor even after retirement, used to call it "the
best in the diocese," but he may not have been entirely For good measure, the parish spent over £6,000 on three new classrooms and inside toilets at St. George's Primary School, which were no longer fit for the children. The venture necessitated raising a loan of £4,000; it was made by an anonymous patron at five per cent interest. This was then the only Catholic primary school which was not refusing new entries because of lack of space, but the number of those wanting to enter was causing worry and would soon call for a further classroom. Chapter 4: PASTORAL INTERLUDE Canon O'Sullivan's years at the helm will probably be remembered chiefly for the building programme
which he carried out with such flair. And quite rightly so; it was, after all, his most conspicuous achievement.
It did not, however, denote an exclusive sphere of activity; there was indeed plenty afoot in other areas. In order to do this, we need far more of the laity to take up their role and responsibility in
the parish. We need more people to give some of their time and ability to this work. As the first stage in this
development, we are establishing a parish council. This stems from the Vatican Council's emphasis on the doctrine
that the Church is made up of clergy and people, who should work more and more together. At the parish level it
means that priests and parishioners should work with the closest cooperation. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit
this could help to bring about a This statement of intent was accompanied by the names of 27 parishioners who had been appointed to put the proposed venture into effect with the promise of further additions. Their first meeting was held in the Mothers' Chapel on 4th March, 1968, when they formally resolved to form a parish council, and adopted a constitution outlining its objectives (To promote the apostolate of the laity and assist the clergy with the administration of parochial affairs on executive and consultative levels); its composition, structure, procedural rules and standing orders. They also set up sub-committees to look after welfare, education, Christian unity, youth and sports, social activities and general purposes. In due course, others would be added to take care of catechetics, planned giving and parish centre matters. Five years on, the constitution was to be revised, the council's stated object being: to further the spirital, temporal and social welfare of the parish by promoting the active participation of the laity in the life and mission of the parish: advising the clergy on any point on which they may ask advice; and conveying to the clergy any ideas/opinions of the laity that the parish council may consider appropriate. As for its composition, apart from the clergy, the planned giving recorder and the editor of the newsletter all ex-officio members it was to include parish nominees and representatives of the schools and of all existing and future organisations. January 1969 saw the formation of a deanery pastoral council, consisting of clergy and laity (three from Enfield); and three months later came the inaugural meeting of the Westminster pastoral council, comprising, among others, deanery representatives; thus completing the chain between diocese and parish. Here, the first experiments took place with Masses in private houses, aimed at building up a deeper community spirit and making Catholics aware of their responsibility to others living in the area. In January 1970 the parish took part in a World Poverty sign-in seeking: the achievement by 1972 of the target of 1% of the gross national product of the UK for overseas aid, with at least three quarters allocated in the form of effective government aid; an increase in the amount of UK aid channelled through international agencies, encouraging other rich nations to follow this lead;, and the negotiations by our government of trade agreements favourable to the poorest countries. May saw the election of Alderman Mrs Gladys Child as Mayor. Being a Catholic and a long-standing
colleague on the Borough Education Committee, she invited Canon O'Sullivan to be her chaplain. "Until recently, a Catholic Mayor would have made this an exclusively Catholic affair. Ours made it into an ecumenical one, at which all would feel at home. The hymns chosen the Old Hundredth, "All people that on earth do dwell"; "Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy"; "Now thank we all our God" - have long ago lost any denominational connection, and so has the 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd." It was a joyful occasion, and the congregational singing expressed this admirably. All credit
for it must go to the choir, who were in excellent form and gave a firm lead, and to the organist, without whose
accompaniment any choral performance loses much of its effect. For the second lesson, the Town Clerk read from John 13 the account of Jesus washing his disciples' feet another theme of love and service to others. In his address, Fr Michael Bailey S.J. painted a picture of conditions at Ephesus in St Paul's
time, with the young Church causing near riots. Over the centuries, far from being exterminated, the Christian
sect grew from strength to strength, and became accepted, thanks to the example and the involvement of its members.
Today, more than ever, Christians are prepared to cooperate with Authority in national and local affairs. They
offer their loyal services, and expect them to be accepted in a spirit of That Christmas, the parish was honoured with the Mayor's presence at Midnight Mass. She arrived
during the carol-singing a glistening chain proclaiming that she was attending in her official capacity. Her
chaplain, unfortunately, was indisposed and had to leave the care of the guest to Fr. Reynolds.
Such controversial issues as Abortion and Compulsory Divorce were decided by Parliament on a FREE VOTE by MPs, regardless of the declared aims on which they were elected. By leaving the decision to be determined by the consciences of individual Members, the party like Pilate-washes its hands of the responsibility. Atheists, agnostics and humanists, who are seeking election or re-election on a party ticket, are already planning further attacks on the Christian way of life by exploiting the Private Members' procedure to introduce Bills to control the size of families, to abolish religious education in schools, to legalize 'mercy" killing, to amend the obscenity laws so that pornography and indecency may flourish in the name of Freedom of Expression. Is this the future you want for your children? If matters so fundamental to our faith are to be decided by the moral (?) opinions of individual Members of Parliament without any reference to those who elected them, then it is our duty to God and to our children to learn exactly what are the views of those for whom we are being asked to vote. If a Member, having been elected under a party label, can claim the right to vote according to his conscience on an issue not contained in his party's programme, then we have the God-given right to vote according to our consciences. Therefore, we must know just where each candidate stands on the issues that may arise in the near future." Each candidate of the three national parties was invited to give written answers to questions on the family, voluntary aided schools, religious education in schools, abortion, pornography and euthanasia. Sunday 21st November, 1971: a red-letter day. Cardinal Heenan concelebrated the 10.30 Mass with the Very Rev. Mgr. Miles and Fr. Reynolds, with the Rt. Rev. Mgr. Norris as Master of Ceremonies. In his homily the Cardinal expressed his pleasure at visiting a parish that had done so much to put into practice the findings of the Vatican Council, as shown by the many committees and organisations set up, and by the greater part being played in the borough and the diocese. Four years earlier, another visitor, Fr. Peter Anglim, had declared himself "intrigued" at the way the transformation of the sanctuary had been carried out. There is no record of the reaction from the members of the Chapter on learning that the adaptation
of the Cathedral sanctuary to the new liturgical requirements would set the account back £100.000 an awful
lot of half-crowns. There does however remain at least one clear recollection of an honorary canon seemingly close
to tears as he brought his Enfield congregation the sad tidings! "The sisters and priests were received with great hospitality almost everywhere we went. There was a great openness in the discussion in the home and at the Mass only with such a spirit can we learn from each other and move forward together with a deeper insight into the Church. The occasions when we meet with open hostility are very rare indeed but frequently we meet Catholics and churchgoers at that who are indifferent to the visit of the priests. For one reason or another he seems to be an embarrassment and it is not unusual for the priest to be interviewed on the doorstep and, even when invited inside, parents and youth are sometimes reluctant to 'open up' with him. It is something that we must think seriously about. We were very pleased to find thriving family and social action groups in the parish we wish that many other parishes in the diocese would follow your example. We hope that you will be able to expand such groups and think too about establishing prayer groups. All such groupings are excellent ways of leading priests and people to a deeper understanding of the meaning and purpose of the Church." The year saw the ordination of two former deacons: that of Jerry Coffey on 2nd February at the church of The Five PreciousWounds, at Stonebridge Park; and on 26th May, at St. Mary's, Cadogan Street, Chelsea, that of Anton Cowan - who returned to Enfield the following Sunday for the 10.30, 12 noon and 6.30 Masses, and Benediction at 3.30pm. June and July were especially busy with a Visitation from Bishop Mahon, involving meetings with all parish councils in the deanery, the deanery pastoral council, nurses and the caring profession, young folk, teachers, managers and school governors, catechists and women religious; a reception for the Mayor, aldermen and councillors; and Masses at Cockfosters and Amos Grove. Cardinal Heenan came twice: on 4th July for the opening of the Parish Centre, and on Saturday 28th July for the ordination of James Henderson S.J. a particularly joyful occasion for the many parishioners who remembered the young priest as a teenager giving up his weekends to help Sr. Scholastica get St. George's School hall ready for Mass and Evening service on Sundays. At Christmas, thanks to the generosity of parishioners and the special interest of pupils at the Holy Family Convent School, at St. Ignatius and St. Angela's, 73 parcels were made up (37 of them for deprived families, including 125 children). The following year 113 parcels were made up (61 going to the elderly and 52 to families with 234 children between them). "The Christmas Day party was an unqualified success. Sixty three housebound and handicapped were brought to the Centre by volunteer drivers, and on arrival they were greeted with a glass of sherry and made to feel at home by helpers, who sat chatting with them until tea was served. The Canon spoke a few brief but warm words of welcome to them in our name, after which they were given a bowl of hot soup, followed by turkey and ham and all the trimmings; wine was served, and the whole thing was rounded off with sherry trifle." At 5 o'clock, numbers of parishioners turned up to join in the festivities, with first-class entertainment continuing until 7.30 pm, when guests started leaving with gift packages containing biscuits and a notebook and biro. In 1974 provision was made for duly appointed layfolk to assist in distributing Communion at Mass and taking Communion to the sick and housebound. On 2nd February, Cardinal Heenan commissioned the first Eucharistic ministers at Westminster Cathedral, including 9 from Enfield. On 29th September the deanery went to Walsingham, which had been designated a place of pilgrimage in connection with the Holy Year 1975. In May there followed a pilgrimage to Rome. In 1976 parishes were asked to consider and discuss a White Paper on the proposed reorganisation
of the diocese. At that time, the Cardinal was assisted by three Auxiliaries: Bishop Christopher Butler (Hertfordshire),
Bishop Victor Guazzelli (Inner London) and Bishop Gerald Mahon (Outer London, formerly Middlesex). The plan was
to divide the diocese into the present five pastoral areas. Meeting on Monday 14th June, the Parish Council regarded
the move as a sensible one, but sought clarification on certain area boundaries. It felt there should be consultation
with the clergy on the appointment of area bishops, was uneasy at the possibility of a widening gulf between the
archbishop and his people, who should not be denied access to him, and was concerned at the financial implications
of the restructuring. During the period a number of new organisations were formed, among them a youth club, a branch of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, a Christian Action group, the Mothers' Guild, the Young Wives group, the Mount Carmel O.A.P. club, the Our Lady & St. George O.A.P. club, and the Mothers and Toddlers club. A minibus service was started, as a development of the programme of lifts to and from church maintained by parishioners using their family cars. Catechism classes were organised for children at non-Catholic schools (in September 1968 the number of those being cared for was about 70). One event stood out because of its relative rarity: the televising of High Mass. That Sunday its timing had to be put back by half an hour so as to fit into the I.T.N. Morning Worship slot. Fr. O'Sullivan was the celebrant, Fr. John O'Halloran, his assistant, preached the sermon and the commentary was made from the organ loft by Fr. John Bebb, who was at that time very much involved in that type of programme and had undoubtedly been instrumental in getting Enfield put on the T.V. map. In the absence of relevant records it is unfortunately impossible to put an accurate date on it. There are, however, some pointers. The church was officially opened on 2nd July 1958 and it seems highly unlikely that a television programme would have been organized very shortly afterwards. The present writer's 1959 diary, which has somehow survived the ravages of time, contains details of numerous everyday meetings, an annual or biennial Visitation and Confirmation by Bishop Craven, and the like, but makes no mention whatever of an occasion which, in those far-off days at any rate, would have been quite unusual. And a family which settled in the parish in 1960 say they just missed it. On balance, then, the latter year would seem to have the better claim to that fleeting moment of fame.
Chapter 5: ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH The completion of the church-and-presbytery complex was to give the builders but a relatively short respite. The parish organisations had grown steadily in number and seemed likely to continue doing so, creating at the same time an obvious need for a meeting place which should be more easily accessible than St. George's School, larger than the Mothers' Chapel, and as centrally situated as the Holy Family Convent School hall, which the Sisters had generously placed at the disposal of the parish over a considerable period of time. Various possibilities of remedying the situation were examined, such as extending the Mothers' Chapel, utilizing the space above the Sanctuary, and providing a purpose built hall alongside the church and joined to it by a vestibule. Taking into account the numbers likely to use the premises and the frequency of such meetings, it was realized that the problem could not be solved with stop-gap arrangements and that nothing short of a major undertaking would do. At the end of 1968 a Parish Council sub-committee was formed to study the proposed social centre, examine suggestions put forward and consult not only parish organisations but, since the project was intended to serve the whole community, individual parishioners with detailed and working knowledge of building, surveying and design, or similar expertise. The services of Mr. Austin Winkley, an architect whose recent commissions included a church and parish centre at St. Margaret's, Twickenham, were retained, and within two or three weeks he came to inspect the site with a view to preparing preliminary plans for discussion with the clergy and a small group of Parishioners. Twelve months later, the intention to seek planning permission for a parish centre was duly advertised in the local press. On Sunday, 10th November, 1969 an open meeting of the parish was convened in the Holy Family Convent School hall, presided over by the Rt. Rev. Patrick Casey. Its purpose was to give an account of the parish organisations and their activities; present and approve a Parish Council constitution; and give the Bishop an opportunity to speak about the functions of the newly formed Council, and encourage parishioners to give it their cooperation. The meeting also sought confirmation of the widely felt need for a parish centre, whilst canvassing views on the subject of sharing a meeting place with the parish of St. Andrew's. No objections in principle were raised to the latter suggestion, although it was not acted upon; as for the feelings about setting up a parish centre at all, they appeared to be quite unanimously held. On Friday, 10th July, 1970 the architect came along to explain his conception of the project
in detail. Financial considerations apart, he had been restricted by the requirement of the planning authorities
that for every 100 sq ft of floor space in any Calculations on the basis of estimated figures for capital outlay, running expenses, and revenue from club membership fees and functions produced a sufficient credit margin to allow the subcommittees to recommend that the full Parish Council request the Canon to go ahead with the project. Early in 1971 planning permission was granted, when plans and details were sent to the Cardinal for vetting and approval. The clergy and the architect made their way to Archbishop's House soon after for discussions. These led to a satisfactory conclusion, and at the beginning of the following year tenders were invited. The lowest submitted came from Messrs. Firmin, who had been responsible for building the church, and were consequently awarded the contract. After initial demolition and preparation work, there were encouraging signs of progress when the footings quickly took shape, and raised hopes of completing sometime after Easter of the following year. In July, a Garden Fete was held in the grounds of the Holy Family Convent with the fund raising target of £1,000. The event made in excess of £700 but was nevertheless considered to have been a success, since it led to the suggestion that the effort be renewed on an annual basis a suggestion which it was felt should be acted upon from year to year. In view of the rapidly approaching opening date, it was proposed to set up some form of administration, by means of two autonomous committees: a management committee, initially appointed by the parish priest for a term of 3 years, and thereafter elected, and comprising 5 to 7 members with appropriate legal, financial, architectural and building skills, to be responsible for the running, maintenance, letting and financing; and a club committee, of at least 12 members, with responsibility for the bar and membership. On the first Sunday in May, 1973, the parish centre was opened up to allow parishioners to see how the work was progressing, and to enable them to visualize what the place would be like in shape and facilities. On Wednesday, 4th July, 1973 His Eminence Cardinal Heenan celebrated Mass at 7.00pm in the presence of the Mayor, and immediately after officially opened the Parish Centre in a ceremony which had been planned to combine informality with dignity. Since the first calculations were made, costs had increased and the final figure was in excess of £55,000. The shortfall was covered by a £16,000 bank loan, £10,000 put up by the Social Club, via the brewers (later taken over by the parish), £19,800 in private loans from parishioners, and £1,000 advanced by a non-Catholic well-wisher. Today it seems as if the Centre has always been there, and it is difficult to imagine a time
when church and presbytery stood "in splendid isolation" and it was possible for the annual procession
to walk within the church grounds; difficult also to visualize the plot behind the presbytery without its concrete
covering. One Year, a Fr. Andre Maertens supplied during the assistant priest's summer break. He came from a farming
family in West Flanders, in Belgium. The sight of a piece of land lying fallow was more than he could stomach;
he promptly set to digging it up whenever he had a little spare time, and became so engrossed that on more than
one afternoon he forgot all about his standing engagement to take Benediction in the Convent chapel, and caused
one of the Sisters to dash across London Road to drag him away from his Chapter 6: CELEBRATIONS The last three decades brought the anniversaries of some outstanding events. The 25th anniversary of the official opening of the church was held on 16th July, 1983. The Rt. Rev. Philip Harvey, O.B.E., Area Bishop for North London, concelebrated a Solemn High Mass of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, assisted by "present and past" clergy and friends. At Communion, the choir gave a solo rendering of Mozart's Jubilate
Deo; the congregation joined in singing the hymns Where are you bound, Mary? / Lord
Jesus Christ, you have come to us / She walked in the summer through the heat on the hill. After Mass, His Lordship unveiled and blessed the plaque erected by the parishioners to commemorate the work of Canon Denis O'Sullivan from 1950 to 1976, especially the rebuilding of the church. The plaque had been kindly presented by Mr. C.H. Geyeling, of Barnard and Horlock. The Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor and Mrs John Wyatt, represented Enfield Council. In a foreword to the Order of Service, Fr Francis Wahle, the present parish priest, wrote: "How fortunate we are in this parish to be celebrating a Silver Jubilee in this the Jubilee Year of our Redemption, and how even more fortunate that we can look back on so many blessings received. It must be about 25 years ago that an article in one of the Catholic papers suggested that there might be changes in the Mass. The writer was immediately attacked for needlessly disquieting the faithful. How unprepared most of us were for the changes and how grateful we should be to Canon O'Sullivan and the priests who assisted him for guiding this parish through those changes so wisely. For example, 25 years ago Catholics were forbidden to take part in non-Catholic services; today we are positively encouraged to do so. Twenty-five years ago there was no preparation for engaged couples (except for a mixed marriage). Now we take it for granted that all should be instructed. It was the school that was expected to prepare children for the reception of the Sacraments; now it is the parish. On a purely parochial level, it is hard to imagine how we ever managed without our fine Parish Centre. Our parish organisations have not only withstood the winds of change, but have flourished under their influence by adapting to the newer outlooks of the Church, and the work-load has increased to such an extent that it is unthinkable not to have a Parish Secretary. There have been very many profound changes in a short period of time; but the faith of the people has remained constant. Last year we had 119 infant baptisms, 8 converts, 45 marriages. In 1963 (the earliest year for which statistics were published in the Westminster Year Book) the corresponding figures were 101, 15 and 49. As we look back in gratitude over the past, we face the future with equal trust in God's guidance. Perhaps we shall be challenged by further great and painful changes, by growth in some areas and decline in others. The prayers of Our Lady and St. George, and our past experiences of God's loving providence will enable us to meet those challenges with courage. "Protect your people in Enfield, Lord, and help us to reach out to others with faith, hope, and charity." Not only outstanding parish events were remembered. More personal occasions too were or rather perhaps would have been celebrated, given half a chance. One such was the 25th anniversary of Fr. O'Sullivan's Ordination, in 1957. That was a nonstarter. Fr. Brian Reynolds, who came to Enfield in 1966, remembers Father telling him in passing that his priestly silver jubilee had gone by unmarked. The conversation left him with the strong impression that it had been a case, not of the parish being loth to lay on a festive show, but of it being prevailed upon by the jubilarian not to organize one. This would, indeed, seem to be confirmed by a minor incident at the time. On or about the jubilee date, Fr. O'Sullivan had attended a meeting of the Legion of Mary, as was his wont. At the end of the session, the legionnaries, who realized the significance of that particular week for their parish priest, made him a token presentation. Father's reaction to their gesture appears to have surprised them: he showed deep embarrassment, picked up his gift, wished the gathering a gruff Goodnight and made a hasty retreat to the presbytery. As if he felt aggrieved to note that not all in the parish had fallen in with his wish for a total lack of "fuss". In 1966, Fr. O'Sullivan's achievements were given recognition by his appointment as an honorary canon of Westminster Cathedral. A collection was held needless to say, unbeknown to him and a set of canonical robes presented. But that is as far as it went. Four years earlier, the consecration of the church had involved the parish in a good deal of expenditure, and the Canon was not prepared to give his blessing to further monies being laid out, least of all on his account. The 25th anniversary of the Canon's appointment as parish priest, in 1975, was celebrated in due and proper form on Saturday, 29th November. The festivities opened with a well-attended Mass of thanksgiving, celebrated by the Canon, assisted by Fr. Brian Reynolds and Fr. Kevin O'Doherty (then on a course of studies in London). They were continued immediately afterwards in the Parish Centre. Telegrams of congratulation were received from Bishop Christopher Butler, Vicar Capitular of the Archdiocese; Bishop Gerald Mahon, Auxiliary with special responsibility for the Middlesex area; and Alderman John Lindsay, the Mayor of Enfield. The entertainment should have got off to a good start with a spot of song and dance but, unfortunately, the group which had been engaged to give a display of Irish dancing had over-run elsewhere and were unable to reach their home base in time. The singing parts remained unaffected, as did several instrumental interludes. The speeches were, mercifully, kept to a minimum. The first referred to the changes of the previous quarter of a century: the material ones the building of the church, the parish centre and the Cardinal Allen School, and the extensions to St. George's School; and the spiritual ones the ecumenical involvement with the other churches in the district, the introduction of the Mass in the vernacular, and the establishment of a parish council. The second spoke of the Canon's influence on the families, taking just one of them to illustrate
how he had been at the centre of every facet of its activities: as the provider of a new church, as a manager of
the boys' primary school, as a governor of their secondary school, as their scoutmaster, as a valued counsellor
when the daughter met and fell in love with a member of another denomination, as the bringer of spiritual comfort
to the housebound wife, and a consolation when her illness took a fatal Presentation time produced a reclining chair, a radio, a substantial cheque for the balance of the special collection, and an equally substantial cake to be shared among the large gathering. The Guides, Brownies Scouts and Cubs presented a Spiritual Bouquet a record of Masses and prayers offered for the Canon's intention. On this occasion, the jubilarian appears to have accepted the unavoidable, and to have made the best of it, fully entering into the festive spirit. Apart from his impromptu reply to the speeches, and his acknowledgement of the presentations, he wrote in the following month's Newsletter:
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