On 4th June, 1954, Father Albert Davey was called to Westminster and asked to found a parish at Garston. The ‘parish’ had no church, hall or house. Father Davey said his first parish Mass in ‘The Three Horseshoes’ pub on 18th July, and older parishioners remember the Masses accompanied by the smell of beer and tobacco! Father Davey found lodgings with a Catholic family nearby and lived with them for five years. He set about acquiring some land.
Meanwhile, the Mass centre moved on 14th August into the unfinished Science block on the building site of St. Michael’s School. The building had no flooring, no windows, holes in the ceiling and gas pipes sticking up. Undaunted, parishioners turned up to prepare for the Sunday Mass, setting up the acquired altar, altar stone and everything else needed. The parish was officially launched on the feast of the Assumption in the Marian Year, with two Masses, a Baptism, and a dedication of babies to Our Lady, all accompanied by the smell of cement dust. A parish retreat soon followed. The Sunday collection amounted to £3.00.
Lighting and heating were needed in that autumn, so Hurricane, Aladdin and Tilley lamps were installed, with Valor stoves to keep off the chill. There was a fire when paraffin spilled on the floor and Father Davey bravely beat it out with hassocks. Electric light was installed on a temporary basis with its own meter: this released some of the oil lamps to light the entrance and pathway to the ‘chapel’. In spite of this a parishioner managed to fall into one of the builders’ trenches on the way to Mass.
1955 saw the first wedding , the first funeral, and a special preacher, Father H. W. R. Lillie, for Marian Week in March. Father Lillie also played the second-hand harmonium. After this week building had to continue, so the Mass centre moved into the carpenters’ hut combined with a hut from the Francis Combe school building site. The end pieces of the huts formed a leaky lean-to, which was used as a sacristy. The ingenious Father Davey filled up the holes in the roof with candlewax. Again parishioners moved everything from the Science block into the ‘new’ hut. Unfortunately the hut became unbearably hot in the July heatwave, so Father Davey covered the roof with old carpets and sacking. He then used hoses to play water on the roof. It worked – the hut was cool at last.
The Dominican sisters came to Garston and attended Mass in the hut on 4th September. Parishioners helped the sisters to move desks, chairs and books in the new school ready for its opening the next day. The school was called ‘St. Michael’s’, and Cardinal Griffin agreed that the parish should be called ‘St. Michael’s’ too. The parish would be blessed to have both a Catholic primary school, St. Catherine of Siena, and a secondary school, St. Michael’s. Permission finally came through for the church to be built in Crown Rise, on land bought from Benskins Brewery. The Dominican sisters kindly allowed the school hall to be used for the Holy Week services. When Father Davey was told that the site of the hut was needed so that building could continue, the tireless parishioners erected yet another chapel, smaller than the first, and lined with hardboard.
Meanwhile, the building of the church continued and in 1956 a Football Pool was formed to pay for it. The Pool ran for years and successfully raised the money to pay for the church. The congregation was finally able to worship in a beautiful new church, which was blessed and opened by the Most Reverend William Godfrey, Archbishop of Westminster, on 7th October, 1958.
Father Davey was a kind, generous priest who loved the traditions of the Catholic church – processions, candles, Benediction and the Latin Mass. In 1963 he encouraged the formation of a choir which could sing polyphony, and this choir continues more than 50 years later. When Father Davey left the parish in 1967 he was sadly missed.
The second parish priest was Fr. Gerard Mulvaney, who arranged that the church should change its name to ‘Our Lady and St. Michael’s’. He established the monthly Fatima service and led annual pilgrimages to Lourdes, Walsingham and Aylesford. Regular missions were held, given by Redemptorist priests. The number of servers grew to nearly 50, and they always went by coach to Westminster Cathedral for the Maundy Thursday services, as well as on their annual outing to Chessington Zoo, the seaside or Mount St. Bernard Abbey. Father Mulvaney arranged many theatre trips for parishioners. He was a virtuoso pianist and took a great interest in the choir, often buying sets of music he wanted the choir to sing. He introduced the APF ‘Red Box’ collections, the SERRA club, the Legion of Mary, The St. Vincent de Paul group, and a repository. He even arranged for a housebound lady to have a hot meal, made by parishioners, every day. Stations of the Cross were added to the church. A Covenant scheme was introduced to reclaim tax from the church collections, and the grassed car park was covered in tarmac.
During Father Mulvaney’s time as parish priest, there were many changes. The new English Mass was introduced; a small folk group sometimes accompanied the Mass; women read in church for the first time; and Father Mulvaney asked the first parishioners to act as Eucharistic Ministers. Father Philip Cross was assistant priest for some years. Other priests who helped in the parish from time to time were Father John Woods, Father Michael Shea, Father Bernard Lang, Father Leo Silke, Father Willie Skehan, Father Paul Hopper and Father Michael Roberts.
The parish was growing fast and a new church hall was built, with a stage, a coffee lounge and kitchen, which enabled many social activities to take place. Catholic groups of Brownies, Guides, Scouts and Cubs met in the hall, and there was a Youth Club. A Social committee organised parish events such as dances, coffee mornings after Mass, pantomime outings and celebrations for the children after their First Holy Communion and at Christmas. Unfortunately the church hall had to be demolished later because of fire damage.
Father Mulvaney retired to Kenton in 1990 for a well-deserved rest.
The third parish priest was Father Jim Brand, another superb pianist. He naturally took a great interest in parish music, placing a piano on the side of the altar and often playing with the organ at Sunday Mass and at funerals when there was no organist. An expert gardener, he decorated the outside of the church with fuchsias in hanging baskets, and Father Jim also created a beautiful summer border of flowers, against which newly married couples and first Holy Communion parties could be photographed. The large crucifix on the outside of the church was lit up at night.
In 1992, the Mayor and Mayoress of Watford were members of the congregation and Father Jim served as the Mayor’s Chaplain for the year. Father Jim encouraged an ecumenical outreach, with parishioners taking part in the North Watford Churches Together activities such as the Good Friday procession. He was often invited to speak by other denominations, including the Salvation Army. The Holy Week services were illuminated by his understanding of the liturgy. He offered meditations on Good Friday, with music as an accompaniment: he was a gifted speaker. He also asked a large number of parishioners to serve as Eucharistic Ministers. Father Jim was famed for his hospitality and parishioners were always welcomed in the presbytery at any time.
During the next ten years all parish debts were paid off and a new parish hall was built: at the same time the old church bell tower was demolished, as it was unsafe. A section of the church grounds was sold off to pay for the hall.The new hall was officially opened on 1st October, 2000. Once again the Youth Club, Social Committee, Sunshine Club (which had begun as a Life Ascending course) and others were able to meet again in the hall.
After ten years, Father Jim moved on to St. Michael’s, Ashford, the Beda College, Rome, and finally to St. John Fisher, Chorleywood. He died on 27th March, 2013, and his funeral took place, at his request, at Our Lady and St. Michael’s. The Requiem was celebrated by Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, together with nearly fifty priests on the sanctuary. His parishioners from Garston and Chorleywood attended the Mass, which was sung by the Garston choir.
In September 2000 Father Christopher Hamilton-Grey became the fourth parish priest. Although suffering from ill health, which necessitated regular hospital checks and stays, Father Christopher led several pilgrimages to Lourdes. He was particularly gifted with helping the sick and dying. Father Christopher established RCIA in the parish and also encouraged the Alpha course, CaFE and other courses run by the Catholic Evangelisation Services. In 2003 the parish took part in the ‘At Your Word, Lord’ three-year diocesan course to foster spiritual and pastoral renewal. A core was formed. Up to thirteen groups of parishioners met regularly, usually in people’s homes, for faith sharing and prayer. Two four-day parish missions were organised by the core. An annual collection for the Watford New Hope Trust was established. Outreach was not confined to the locality, however, and a successful ‘Presents For Poverty’ was organised for the third world. Training was started for Eucharistic Ministers and Readers and a Welcome ministry was started. The parish also trained leaders of small groups from other parishes in the Watford deanery.
From Advent 2002 Father Christopher started a Children’s Liturgy of the Word at the 10 a.m. Mass on Sundays. A website was designed for the church to give information on Mass times, etc.
On 15th August, 2004, the Feast of the Assumption, a Mass was held to celebrate 50 years since the inaugural Mass of the parish and parishioners enjoyed refreshments and entertainments in the parish grounds. The parishioners worked to raise a large sum of money to replace the church roof in 2008.
Father Christopher left the parish in 2008. For his last three years he was assisted in the parish by Father William Kiowi, IMC. Father Christopher died on 29th November, 2012. May he rest in peace.
Father Peter Maher, the fifth parish priest, took over the parish in 2008. He impressed the congregations with his strong singing voice. He immediately showed his concern for the future of the church by focusing on the development of the children’s faith and by involving them in the liturgy. A second children’s Mass was added each month.
The parish now has over 800 people attending the four Masses each weekend and the congregation is still growing.
After an assessment of the buildings, Father Peter set in motion a thorough programme of repairs and refurbishments to the church, the presbytery and the hall.
The sanctuary was completely redesigned. The old pulpit was removed, which gave more room for pews. A marble altar facing the congregation, together with a marble lectern and font were installed and the church can now be consecrated. During this work two tins were found in the old 1958 altar which contained mementoes and a prayerful letter from the first parish priest, Father Davey.
New heating, lighting and carpet were added. In spite of these expenses, the parish continued its tradition of donating generously to CAFOD, WEEF, Lourdes pilgrimages and charities of all kinds.
Father Peter’s homilies were noted for his sense of humour and he frequently spoke of the privilege of being a priest. He enjoyed music, and at his last Mass in the parish he insisted on an encore of Stainer’s ‘Fling Wide the Gates’. At his ‘goodbye’ Mass in March 2014 he was given farewell presents of money and a huge framed photograph of the congregation. He observed that the happiest years of his priesthood had been spent at Garston and that he never expected that he would be retiring with such a feeling of contentment.
The parish’s sixth parish priest was Father David Barrow, a Neocatechumenal priest who came from the Guardian Angels parish in Mile End, London. He was born and brought up in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies and moved later to Wales. Before he was a priest he studied Naval Architecture in Newcastle and worked in the shipbuilding industry and engineering consultancy.
Father Barrow arranged weekly courses during Lent on the Bible and the Church, which used DVDs of speakers followed by discussion groups. He introduced the series of Prayer and Life workshops and the ‘Day with Mary’. During his time in the parish he was helped at weekends by two seminarians, and a third seminarian, Allan Alvarado Gill, stayed in the parish and was ordained deacon, then priest, in 2018. Father Barrow was particularly noted for his delivery of RCIA courses.
An outstanding event in the history of the parish, which Father Barrow organised, was the Consecration of the church on 15th September, 2016, which could take place now that the church had a forward-facing altar. The consecration service was led by His Eminence Vincent Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and many past parishioners, priests and sisters attended. The choir sang the Mass of Our Lady and St. Michael and a motet composed for the event by Claire Aizlewood. A new icon was commissioned from the artist Michael Quirke, of Icon Art, which showed St. Michael as a warrior leading God’s army against the forces of evil. During the service saints’ relics of St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Dominic and St. Pontian were placed into the altar.
July 2017 was an important day for the parish as Paul Quinn was ordained as our first married Deacon in Westminster Cathedral by Cardinal Nicholls. A coach full of parishioners supported him at the service. Paul will baptise, preach and marry couples. He carried out his first duties the following day, reading the Gospel from the Bible received at his Ordination and giving the homily. After the Mass there was a happy celebration feast in the hall. Popular and hardworking, Paul has proved to be an enormous asset to the parish.
In 2018, a box was placed at the back of the church for permanent food donations, which were then taken weekly to the Foodbank. Our parishioners were characteristically generous and donated more than two and a quarter tonnes of food during the first year. Since then their donations have increased, helping those who need emergency food.
Father David Barrow left the parish in September 2018 to become parish priest at St. Charles Borromeo, in Ogle Street, London. His official farewell Mass was on 18th November. The Mass was crowded and Father David enjoyed seeing many of his old parishioners. His new parish contrasts sharply with this parish, as it is situated in an expensive business area where there are few homes, unlike Garston, where he frequently had difficulty in making himself heard above the children’s voices at the 10am Mass!
Our seventh parish priest was Father Fortunato Pantisano, who was ordained in Westminster in 2015 after studying at the Redemptoris Mater college. He was born in Crotone, in southern Italy and came to us from the parish of Saints Michael and Martin, Hounslow, after serving in several other parishes.
In his first letter to the parish Father Fortunato spoke movingly of his hopes that ‘as God’s family, our lives eloquently will speak of God’s wonders and love.’ It was also obvious from Father Fortunato’s first Mass in the parish that he had an endearing sense of humour and the ability to make the congregation laugh.
During his year in the parish he continued the Prayer and Life workshops as well as other courses introduced by Father Barrow. With a flair for administration, he kept meticulous records and carefully supervised the modernising of the parish hall, then for personal reasons he had to leave the parish towards the end of 2019.
During the months that the parish was without a parish priest, Masses were provided mainly by Father Terkura Igbe, CSSp., chaplain of St. Michael’s School, and the retired Father Peter Dwyer. Deacon Paul Quinn was available for spiritual needs and Mrs. Veronika Clark, the parish administrator, received and published information via the newsletter.
Their efforts became even more important when, in March 2020, the Covid-19 virus hit the country, and churches everywhere were affected. Steps had to be taken to avoid people gathering closely together and spreading the virus, which meant the closure of churches and the cancellation of normal Masses. Sunday Mass obligation was cancelled and parishioners were kept in touch by online information and the newsletter on our website, Facebook and Twitter pages. Father Terkura said Mass alone in church, with one Sunday Mass streamed on the Our Lady and St. Michael Facebook page. Parishioners were thus able to participate in the Mass from their homes. As well as four weekend Masses, three Masses were said during the week. In the absence of normal church attendance, Archbishop Nicholls counselled Catholics in the diocese to deepen their faith, ‘putting down roots’ with families praying together and making a spiritual Communion while present at a streamed Mass.
With no parish priest, long-standing parishioners’ funerals had to take place, sadly, with a limited number of mourners at other churches. Groups such as the Sunshine Club and the choir were unable to meet and there could be no monthly Serra Mass. No donations could be made to the Watford Foodbank while the church was closed. Many people experienced loneliness when they had to avoid social contacts and were unable to meet friends at church.
In June Catholic churches were allowed to open again in a limited way for Masses and private prayer, with the help of volunteers to maintain health and safety. All those attending had to provide names and addresses for tracking purposes. They also had to use hand sanitisers, wear masks throughout and keep to a one-way system. Numbers were limited to 80 for each Mass, and worshippers had to maintain social distancing. Many parishioners were still self-isolating or were restricted to essential journeys only and still could not attend Mass.
On 14th August the Vicar General of the Diocese of Westminster sent a letter announcing that, from 1st September, 2020, Garston would have a new parish priest, Father Paul Antwi-Boasiako CSSp. Father Paul joined the parish at a difficult and unique time, but he is very welcome.
Since 1954 nine parishioners have had vocations to be priests, monks or sisters. Sister Joachim, a Missionary of Charity, writes regularly to keep the parish informed of her activities. Seven Bene Merenti medals have been awarded to parishioners.
The parish has come a long way since 1954!