Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, Teddington

Saint Luigi Orione Exhibition

A Guide to the Church

SACRED HEART CHURCH, TEDDINGTON - a guide

How old is the Church?

Information on brass plaque to right of Sanctuary. There is a plaque to the first parish priest on the right hand side next to St George’s altar.

The parish was founded in 1882, building began in the mid to late eighties and the church was solemnly opened in January 1893.  However it was not complete at this stage and it was only in the 1930s that it achieved its final dimensions.  The original building extended as far, approximately, as the end of the pews.  It was finally completed in the 1930s.

The shape of the Church.   The shape is reminiscent of churches built in Rome during the Renaissance, (14-16^th centuries).  Whereas a previous generation of Gothic churches had been built with the circulation of pilgrims in mind, this kind of church was designed for people to enter and be still, to contemplate the space and the art in an environment of peace and serenity. The dark environment in which people could ‘read’ the stained glass windows has been replaced by natural light so they could appreciate the different elements of the church and its works of art.

As one enters the church the gaze is directed towards the altar, the place where Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary is commemorated every time the community celebrate Mass together.  The Mass, or Eucharist,  is the central act of worship of the Christian Community.   Traditionally, altars were made of stone, like the Old Testament altars on which animal sacrifices were offered, to remind the congregation of the meaning of the Eucharist as Christ’s sacrifice.    

Why - in this church - do we see we see two altars?  Following the liturgical reform in the late sixties/early seventies, altars were brought forward so that the priest would stand facing the people, to enhance the symbolism of the whole people gathering around the one table of the Lord.  (NB the altar is also seen as a table around which we gather for ‘the supper of the Lord’). Our altar still has a temporary feel about it.  In many churches which have been re-ordered a new altar has been created out of the stone of the old one.

An important feature of a Catholic Church is the tabernacle, with the light burning beside it.  The tabernacle (tabernaculum= little house) contains the bread which has not been consumed during the Mass.  It is a central tenet of Catholic belief that when the bread and wine have been blessed at Mass Jesus Christ is truly present in these elements and so they are treated with the utmost reverence.    

When the bread is placed in the tabernacle we call it the Blessed Sacrament.  There it is reserved for two purposes; so that Holy Communion may be brought to any parishioners who are sick or housebound and cannot attend Mass, or so that people may pray quietly in the presence of Jesus Christ.  This is a particular feature of the Catholic tradition.  A light is placed beside the tabernacle whenever the Blessed Sacrament is present within it.

The Sanctuary (sanctuarium = holy place)   Over the centuries there grew up the practice of separating the area immediately surrounding the altar from the rest of the building. In the Middle Ages the two parts were divided by a screen.  Later the screen was replaced by a ‘communion rail’, at which people knelt to receive Holy Communion. New churches will not have a communion rail, but in older churches they often remain in order to retain the integrity of the building.

Features of the Sanctuary.

The Chair:  this is the place from which the Priest presides over the assembled congregation and directs their prayer.  It is not just a functional piece of furniture.  Traditionally the chair has been the symbol of teaching authority (cf professors’ ‘chairs’ in universities), and when the Priest is at his chair he represents, symbolically, Christ, the head and teacher of the Church.

The Ambo or lectern:  reading the Sacred Scriptures is an important part of Catholic worship, and so the Scriptures have an important place in the sanctuary. At Mass on Sundays three extracts from the Bible are read, one from the Old Testament, a second taken from the letters of St Paul or another important teacher in the early church, whilst the third and most important reading is taken from the Gospel, the story and teachings of Jesus Christ himself.  In the liturgy prominence is often given to the gospel by carrying the Book of the Gospels accompanied by candles and incense. The Book of the Gospels is the large green book that stands just outside the communion rail on the right hand side.

Over the old altar there is a canopy known as a baldacchino (Italian= a canopy). In some ancient churches, including the great Roman basilicas, it was the custom to build a canopy over the altar - seated on four columns - from which a curtain hung.  This was derived from the practice of carrying a canopy over the Roman emperor as a sign of his power and authority.  The canopy over the altar was known as a ciborium (Latin = lit. a container for food).  The canopy drew attention to the fact that the altar was the place where Christ became food for his people, but it also drew attention to the sacredness of the altar and what happened there. In the second millennium,  the canopy was retained but began to lose much of its symbolism, because by now tabernacles were in use and the tabernacle was seen as the ‘sacred tent’ in which dwelt the presence of God.

The apse is an ancient feature of church buildings, going back to the early basilicas, which themselves were modelled on the public buildings at which the Roman emperor would be present. In the Roman basilicas the Bishop and his attendant clergy would sit in the apse.  It was also customary to decorate the apse with mosaics or religious symbols.  The symbols on our apse are all Greek letters.

In the centre of the apse are the Greek letters IHS which stands for Jesus, and XP which stands for Christ.

Alpha and Omega (extreme left and right)  are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and allude to the sayings the Book of Revelation.  In the first chapter God says, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and is to come, the almighty'.  In the final chapter Jesus says, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end'.  The two passages taken together express the fundamental Christian belief that Jesus is God.

So the apse tells us that Jesus Christ is God, the beginning and the finality of our existence.

The painting on the apse: the Virgin and Child with St John the Baptist and St Nicholas of Bari (Santa Claus).   This is an artist’s copy of the so-called ‘Ansidei Madonna', which can be seen (restored) in the National Gallery. The original was painted by Raphael in about 1505.

On the left hand wall of the sanctuary, above the credence table (the table on which the vessels used in Mass are placed) is a wall safe.  This is known as the aumbry and is a kind of tabernacle for the Sacred Oils.  The three oils kept in it are: the Oil of the Catechumens, used for anointing those preparing for Baptism; the Oil of the Sick, used to anoint people who are gravely ill or weak under the burden of their years; and Chrism, the most sacred of the oils, used at Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination.  Chrism is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

In the far left hand corner of the Sanctuary is the Baptismal Font.  Baptism is the gateway into the Christian community and into our relationship with Christ.  The water used for Baptism is a sign of the life that God offers us through living in union with Christ.  It is also a sign of the cleansing process that must be a constant part of our lives if we are to be free from sin and live in the freedom of God’s children.

In the Catholic tradition, adults who wish to be baptised must undergo a process of preparation which will normally involve some prolonged contact with a priest and other members of the parish community, learning what we believe, how we worship and live our lives.  A child is only baptised on the strength of the faith of  its parent(s) or sponsor(s), and in having a child baptised its parents are acknowledging their responsibility to bring the child up in the practice of the faith.

Near the door of the church is a Holy Water Font. The water from this font reminds us of our baptism and our baptismal commitment.  When Catholics come into the church they sign themselves with the holy water on their head, chest and shoulders in the shape of a cross, and say, ‘In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen’.  In this way they remind themselves that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and they also remind themselves of the most important event in the life of Jesus, his death on the cross and his resurrection.

The Side Altars.

When churches were first built, there was only one altar, and the Liturgy was only celebrated on Sundays.  In the Middle Ages, daily Mass became more frequent, as well as the custom of priests celebrating a Mass every day.  As these customs grew, so did the practice of building subsidiary altars, especially in cathedrals and in parish churches where there were large communities of priests.  Sometimes wealthy families would build small chapels so that Masses could be celebrated when they died, and guilds of artisans would also construct their own chapels to gather for Mass.

Since the liturgical reforms of the 1960s onwards, priests have tended to ‘concelebrate’ rather than celebrate Mass on their own.  However, it is unlikely that the side altars in our church were ever used for the celebration of Mass, as there has rarely been more than one priest in residence at a time.  So the altars here reflect the piety of the people who built them as shrines to their favourite saints, rather than a need for several places to celebrate Mass.

Starting at the church door,the first altar on the left is that of St Thérèse of Lisieux(1873-97), who is dressed as a Carmelite nun.  Thérèse joined the convent as a young girl.  She never achieved high office or did anything noteworthy or out of the ordinary, except in that she tried to follow the austere rule of the convent as best she could, giving herself totally to a life of prayer and hard domestic work, for the sake of people in the world she would never see.   For much of the time she was very ill and she died at the age of 24.  Thérèse would have been completely unknown were it not that she was commanded to write a spiritual autobiography which she called, ‘The Story of a Soul’.   After her death her book became an instant best-seller due to the simplicity of her writing and its reflecting the heart of the gospel message to live a life of love in the most ordinary of circumstances.   Soon people all over the world were praying to her and many people reported miracles worked in response to prayer to her.    

Thérèse is portrayed carrying a bunch of roses in memory of her saying that she wanted to ‘let fall a shower of roses’ of miracles and other favours.

St Agnes (d c. 305). Agnes was a young girl who lived in Rome. Almost nothing is known about her except that she was put to death for her faith at a very young age.  Not long after her death a basilica was built over the site of her grave and she is among the Roman saints mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer. According to legend, Agnes had vowed to lead a life of virginity in order to devote herself totally to following Christ.  When a young admirer failed to get her to marry him, he denounced her to the authorities as a Christian and when she refused to offer sacrifice to the emperor she was put to death.  Agnes became a figure of great devotion in the early Church not only because she had died for the faith, but because she is a witness to the fact that holiness does not depend upon age, experience or human effort, but is a gift God gives to those he chooses.

St Agnes is usually depicted carrying a lamb because her name is very similar to the Latin word for a lamb, Agnus, and for her love of Christ, the Lamb of God.  The inscription, taken from the Acts of St Agnes (5^th Century) reads, 'My love is for Christ who leads me to his bridal chamber.   His love makes me chaste.   His touch purifies me, and his coming secures my virginity'.

The ‘swastika’ (note the Nazi symbol points in a different direction) is a universal symbol of good luck and fertility in the ancient world.  It is frequently found in the catacombs in Rome but it does not appear to carry any specifically Christian symbolism.

St Paul (d. 65 AD) was a Jew who never met Christ during his life on earth, but persecuted Christ’s followers with great zeal until he underwent a conversion experience involving a vision of Christ.  From that time on Paul became a great preacher of the gospel, and is credited with being the first Christian missionary to go and preach among the gentiles.  Paul travelled around the Mediterranean area setting up new Christian communities, with whom he would then maintain contact by means of letters. Many of these letters were major theological works which were preserved by the communities who received them and eventually became part of the canon of Scripture.  They have had a great influence in the history of Christianity.

The statue is typical of the way Paul is usually presented as a rather thin, intense man with a bald head and a beard.  He carries a book (representing the Gospels he preached or the Epistles he wrote) and a sword, which may recall the words in the letter to the Hebrews (no longer attributed to Paul) that ‘the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit’ (The Letter to the Hebrews 4:12).   Paul was also put to death by beheading.

The inscription at the base of the altar reads, ‘In memory of Almachildes Primavesi who died in the porch of the church on Maundy Thursday, 26^th March 1891.

St Joseph is known to us from the gospel of Matthew to be the foster father of Jesus.  In the gospel he appears as the protector of Mary and the infant Christ.  We know few biographical details about him, except that he was a carpenter.   Joseph does not appear in the gospel outside of the chapters dealing with the infancy of Jesus, so it was traditionally assumed that he was much older than Mary and died before Christ. The statue portrays a younger Joseph than is normally the case.  His left hand appears to be clutching something which has fallen out, either a flowering rod or a lily (symbol of his chastity).  St Joseph holds a high place in Catholic hearts as a member of the holy family and a statue of him can be found in most Catholic churches. In the inscription he is addressed as ‘Patriarch’, the father of the family.

Even in churches without side altars there is usually found an altar to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who is also known as 'Our Lady', 'Our Blessed Lady' or the 'Virgin Mary'. Catholics pay great devotion to Our Lady, though they do not worship her.  Worship is for God and Christ alone. In the gospels Mary features as both the mother and the disciple of Jesus, the one who ponders on the mystery of who he is, and faithfully remains with him as he goes to his death.

Notice the snake at the base of the statue. This evokes memories of the story in Genesis where the snake tempted Eve who went on to tempt Adam. God says to the snake,' I will put enmity between you and the woman…..He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel'.

In the writings of St Paul Jesus is compared to the new Adam, the one who makes amends for the disobedience of Adam and now completely fulfils God’s plan for a human being created in his image. Following this line of thought, the Fathers of the Church saw Mary as 'the new Eve' the new 'Mother of the Living' (=Eve); because of her intimate relationship with Christ as his mother she is the first to benefit from the salvation He brings, so she becomes mother of all who are redeemed by Christ.

On the left of the chapel is a copy of the eikon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (or Succour). The original picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is painted on wood, with a background of gold. It is Byzantine in style and is supposed to have been painted in the thirteenth century. It represents the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the Archangels Michael and Gabriel present before Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in the picture are some Greek letters, which form the abbreviated words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively. The original was brought to Rome toward the end of the fifteenth century by a pious merchant, who, dying there, ordered by his will that the picture should be exposed in a church for public veneration. '

Near the back of the church on the left hand side are two other portrayals of Mary.  There is the Pièta (Pity), where she supports the body of her dead Son, and a small statue of her as 'Our Lady of Fatima' where she appeared to three young children in 1917.   She is wearing the rosary beads.  The Rosary is a traditional prayer that has played a central role in Catholic spirituality, combining meditation upon the central mysteries of the life of Jesus with the recitation of the Hail Mary, the prayer to Our Lady based upon the angel’s greeting to her in the Gospel of Luke.

On the far side of the sanctuary is the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom our church is dedicated. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus lies deep in the Catholic psyche. This devotion is inspired by characteristics of Jesus such as we find in the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son.  In that parable Jesus reveals to us the depths of the Father’s love and mercy, and only one who knew the depths of that love in his own heart can reveal such love. Moreover, on the cross, Jesus’ side and heart were pierced by a lance. Out of love for us, Christ allowed his heart to be pierced for our sins. Here we contemplate the infinite depths of divine love in the human heart, and we get a glimpse of what we are called to, and what we are capable of.

By the doors to the parish rooms is a small statue of St. Patrick, dressed as a Bishop, in green vestments by virtue of his connection to Ireland, of which he is the patron.  Born into a Christian family, Patrick did not take his faith very seriously until he was kidnapped by pirates and held for six years.  This experience changed his outlook.  He trained for the priesthood, and then found his way to the north of Ireland, (c.435) and set up a small school in Armagh which he used as a base for his missionary activity.  Although he wrote an autobiography known as his 'Confessions' he did not consider himself a very learned man, but he was remembered more for his deep simplicity of faith and life, and for his zealous pastoral care of his people.  His life as a slave prepared him for his future life which was to be founded upon a very deep trust in God.

(Some iconography depicts Patrick with a snake at his feet, recalling the legend that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland).

St George (died c 303): Very little is known for certain about St George, except that he came from Palestine, is believed to have been a soldier, and was put to death for his faith. Within a relatively short time of his death a widespread cult to George had grown up and many churches were dedicated to his name, both in the East and the West.

The statue depicts George slaying a dragon. From early on he had been acclaimed as a powerful helper against evil powers and by his intercession many individuals had been rescued from quite desperate situations.  A popular legend  (translated and printed by William Caxton (1422-91)) tells how George attacked a dragon which had caused chaos over the country, poisoning with his breath everyone who came near him.  Every day the people had to offer him two sheep, and if these were not enough, a human being had to be chosen by lot.  George stepped in when the lot fell on the king’s daughter, attacked the dragon, pierced it with his lance and then led it, completely tame, with the princess’s girdle.   George then told the people not to be afraid and said that if they were willing to believe in Jesus and be baptised, he would kill the monster.  The king and some 15000 people became Christians.  George would accept no reward, but asked the king to maintain churches, honour priests and show compassion to the poor.

Since the 7^th century George has been a favourite saint in England.  He became the patron of soldiers and a model of Christian chivalry.  Edward III declared him the patron of the Order of the Garter and later Edmund Spenser was to write:

        Thou among those saints which thou doest see

        Shall be a saint, and thine own nation’s friend

        And patron:  thou Saint George shall called be,

        St George of merry England, the sign of victory.

St Anne.

Mary's parents are not mentioned in scripture, but they are named as Anne and Joachim in the second-century Protoevangelium of St James, the principal source of the Golden Legend's account of Mary's nativity.

As the story goes, St Anne and St Joachim went 20 years without having children. St Joachim was refused entrance to the Temple and took his sheep into the hills with a heavy heart. But then an angel announced to the two that their prayers for a child were answered and that they should meet at the Golden Gate of the Temple. Mary was born nine months later, and when she was three the parents brought her to the Temple to live.

In the painting (original unknown) St Anne is depicted with her daughter Mary. There is a tradition in the iconography of St Anne to show her seated (sometimes on the throne of Wisdom) educating her child.   

On the altar panels are scenes from the life of Mary. The central panel shows Mary being assumed into heaven.  The Assumption of Our Lady into heaven is a particularly western Catholic expression of belief which corresponds to the Eastern tradition of the ‘Dormition’ of Mary, as expressed in the following prayer:

In giving birth you kept your virginity, in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life.  You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.

On the altar commemorating the King family, there is a small statue of Christ wearing a crown and priestly vestments, and holding an orb, thus depicting Jesus in his role as universal king and high priest. The image of Christ as King is drawn from the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles,  where Jesus is acclaimed as the true anointed King by virtue of his death and resurrection, whilst the image of Jesus as Priest comes from the Letter to the Hebrews.

   

The painting on the side wall close to a statue of St Anthony is an artist's copy of The Virgin of the Rocks, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in about 1490. The original hangs in the National Gallery.

Near the end of the right aisle is a large statue of

St. Peter. St Peter was the leader of the disciples who was appointed by Jesus to be the pastor of his flock (John 21).  He is depicted seated on a throne, as a sign of his authority as a teacher of the faith, and he holds the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19).  The keys to heaven express the task he has been given by Christ of continuing the work of bringing all to salvation.  In the Catholic tradition, the office of chief Pastor and Teacher has been traditionally entrusted to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.

Opposite the statue of St Peter is a smaller statue of St Anthony (1193-1231).   Anthony was born in Lisbon of a noble Portuguese family, and as a young man joined the still new congregation of Friars founded by Francis of Assisi. He gained a reputation as a great preacher and wrote a series of Sunday sermons.   He was elected provincial of Northern Italy and was based at Padua.   

In art Anthony is sometimes depicted as preaching to the fishes, a reminder that even the words of a great preacher will only be effective if people are open to them.  Sometimes the animals can be more receptive than humans!  Since the 17^th century he has been known as the patron of lost articles, because of a story about a novice who borrowed a copy of the psalms without permission but had to return it after receiving an apparition of Anthony at his most fearsome. There is also a custom in many Catholic churches of having a collection box known as St Anthony’s Bread, the proceeds of which go to the starving and the needy.  Anthony was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, or eminent teacher of the Church, in 1946, because of the quality of his written sermons.

The presence of these different altars and statues of the saints in our church building is a reminder to us that our faith is something we inherit from others.  They internalised and  lived the faith  in their own lives, each with its own particular circumstances,  and were passionate about handing it on to the next generation. We stand on their shoulders. The saints are members of the Church too, and we believe that they are constantly assisting us with their prayers, close to Christ as they are.

As you walk around the church you will also see 14 pictures of similar character.  These are known as the Stations of the Cross.   They depict scenes from the last hours of Jesus’ life, from the time he was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate until he was laid in the tomb.  We use them to meditate upon the Passion or suffering of Jesus, the price he paid to bring us salvation.  The Stations, or moments in the final journey of Jesus, are generally drawn from the gospels, though some are legendary (like the meeting with Veronica) or the fruits of a Christian imagination reflecting on the gospel story (such as the three falls of Jesus).    

We can pray the Stations as individuals, walking from one to another, looking at each scene and thinking about it, and saying a familiar prayer, or our own spontaneous prayer, before moving on. There are also meditations of the Stations for group prayer.  The most famous was the Stations of St. Alphonsus (1696-1787) and in more recent times Pope John Paul II wrote his own version.

The Stations originally began as a prayer for pilgrims who visited the Holy land and wished to pray at the sites associated with Jesus. If you visit Jerusalem you can still trace, in prayer, the final journey of Jesus, by following the Via Dolorosa (Sorrowful Way).

New Year Services

Open the Doors

A Talk by Father John Deehan

Holy Week 2007

Open the Doors

"Come Follow Me" A Novena of Prayer

Diocese of Westminster

A Novena of Prayer for our Bishops, Priests and Deacons

12 - 20 November 2006

Daily Intentions

Day 1 - - - Clergy in Parishes

Day 2 - - - Clergy in Chaplaincies

Day 3 - - - Sick and Retired Clergy

Day 4 - - - Clergy in difficulties

Day 5 - - - Deceased Clergy

Day 6 - - - Those discerning their Vocation

Day 7 - - - Our Seminarians

Day 8 - - - Permanent Deacons and those in traing, and their families

Day 9 - - - Our Bishops

Litany of Praise

We offer our praise to God our Father

For those you call to serve the Church in the Ministerial Priesthood

Father, we praise and thank you for your love

For their generous response

Father, we praise and thank you for your love

For the Priests of ur Diocese

Father, we praise and thank you for your love

For the ministry and witness of Deacons in the Church

Father, we praise and thank you for your love

For the love and leadership of the Holy Father and our Bishops

Father, we praise and thank you for your love

For this great gift, the Sacrament of Holy Orders

Father, we praise and thank you for your love

Vocations Prayer

Lord God, your beloved Son said to us:

Ask the Lord of the harvest.

So we come to you,

offering our prayers for the needs

of the Church in the World today.

We pray that many may hear your call

to serve you in the Priesthood and the Diaconate.

Give their families and friends the grace

to support and encourage them.

Give to those you choose

eagerness to answer your call;

humility and generosity to make known and loved;

faithfulness to persevere in their dedication.

Through Christ or Lord.

Amen.

Novena Prayer

O God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

You are the life and soul of the Church.

Hear the prayers we offer for

our Bishops, Priests and Deacons,

through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

their protector and guide.

Amen.

3 x Hail Mary

1 x Glory be

SACRED HEART SCHOOL “WORLD CUP” FETE – SUNDAY 26 JUNE

Everyone is welcome to come along to the Sacred Heart School “ World Cup” Fete.  It takes place at the school in St Marks Road from 11am on Sunday 26 June.  Entrance is £1 for adults, Senior Citizens and children are free.  There will stalls selling books and toys, raffles and activities galore together with a BBQ and bar.  We look forward to seeing lots of parishioners there.

PARISH RETREAT. Saturday 8 July at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh.

The Parish Retreat will be held at Wonersh on Saturday 8th July - please contact Father John immediately if you would like to come.