Story of the New Church
– The parish of St. Vincent de Paul was established in December 1936. The architect of St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church in Feltham was instructed to design an appropriate Chapel in Osterley, which could eventually be used as a Hall, once a new church is built. The Chapel was used as a church for decades, but attempts to build a new church were unsuccessful after World War II and in the 1980s due to unforeseen events and circumstances.
In the late 1990s, the need for a new church became increasingly pressing as the Osterley Parish continued to flourish and expand. The Parish was formally consulted, and in early 2001, the parishioners voted to build a new church seating 300 people. This major decision was supported by the area Bishop and the Diocese of Westminster, marking a significant turning point in the life of the parish after nearly 70 years of waiting. The road to realising this dream proved long and arduous, but ultimately very rewarding for the parish. The completion of the new church of St Vincent de Paul in Osterley in the spring of 2005 realised the parishioners’ wishes and aspirations.
The New Church Becomes a Reality
The decision to proceed with the new church was taken around the time when the parish celebrated its 60th anniversary. Discussions with parishioners and the Diocese, as well as obtaining Planning permission, inevitably took considerable time. The requirements of the Diocese and the parish were translated into a combined liturgical and technical brief to build a new church for 300 people. This brief was used for an invited architectural competition, managed by the Parish Building Committee. Six architectural firms were asked to submit their professional credentials and present an outline of their ideas to the parish. Two architects were short-listed and commissioned to develop their ideas further, using sketches and models. The entire parish was then invited to vote on their proposed conceptual design and view their models. The scheme, by the architect Jos Towend from Manchester, was selected by the parish and endorsed by the Parish Building Committee and the Diocese of Westminster.
By then, a vigorous and focused fundraising campaign had concluded, partially financing the new church through generous contributions from parishioners, donations from Legacies, and proceeds from the parish’s 300 club. The parish successfully raised the minimum level of funding prescribed by the Diocese, enabling it to secure a Diocesan loan to bridge the funding gap. The Diocese then appointed the winning architect in late April 2001, followed by the engagement of engineering design consultants to produce detailed design and construction documentation. Competitive tenders from six contractors selected by the Diocese were received on 1st April 2003. The chosen contractor was appointed in July 2003 and started on site in August 2003. The building work was monitored and overseen by the Diocesan Surveyor and the Parish Building Committee.
The Foundation Stone was laid by Bishop Alan Hopes in May 2004 and is displayed in the Narthex. It was rewarding for parishioners to follow the progress of work on the site until the new church was completed shortly after February 2005. Incidentally, a parishioner waived his profits and supplied the church with its entire ceramic flooring and all the sanitary ware. The parish gratefully accepted his generous contribution.
Church Design & External Features
The architectural design delivers an attractive church building that constitutes a notable landmark in the neighbourhood. The brick building features a pitched roof, with a prominent tower fitted with a 2-meter-high iron cross. The cross, which was crane-lifted and fitted to the tower in July 2004, carries some fascinating history. It was donated to the parish after it was retrieved, following the demolition of St Vincent’s Orphanage in Mill Hill. The cross was professionally cleaned and then gilded by the late Sister Bernadette Crook (the parish’s “resident artist”). The church’s tower features high-level windows that bring dramatic natural light into the sanctuary area. Carefully positioned side windows on the south wall eliminate glare from the direct sun and provide controlled natural light into the church. In addition to delivering excellent thermal insulation, the roof offers a robust acoustic barrier that effectively mitigates aircraft noise.
Church Design & Internal Features
The new church features a modern circular plan layout, with pews arranged in a semi-circular pattern, thus encouraging a collective focus on the altar and large cross during church services. This seating pattern also allows each parishioner’s seat to be as near as possible to the sanctuary. The floor slopes gently to improve the sight lines of worshipers to the sanctuary.
The simple but attractive design of the altar, baptismal font, lectern and the tabernacle’s shelf with its surrounds is enhanced by using the same attractive type of marble. The notable tabernacle came from the Campion House Seminary, as a donation from the Jesuits, following the Seminary’s closure in 2004. A new and impressive painted Crucifix was commissioned from the late Sister Bernadette, and hangs prominently over the sanctuary area. She also painted the icons around the tabernacle and above the offertory table. A small ramp is provided for disabled access to the sanctuary area. Some spaces are designated to accommodate wheelchairs near the front pews. The cohesive design of the new church building is evident by the inclusion of a large Narthex (gathering area), and a lobby linking the parish hall and presbytery.
Church Internal Environment
The attractive architectural design is complemented by a state-of-the-art design of the church’s internal environment. This includes energy-efficient, discreet, and unobtrusive under-floor heating, working in tandem with a healthy comfort ventilation system that uses constant and fully filtered fresh air. This proved to be a valuable and healthy feature during the COVID pandemic, as no internal air is recirculated within the church.
An innovative yet discreet system is used to bring fresh air into the church via bespoke air diffusers, concealed within the bulkhead of the ceiling at the rear of the church. Fresh air is supplied gently from the diffusers at a high level towards the seating area, and air is exhausted using a discreetly positioned fan within the tower. The resultant effect of the ventilation air-flow pattern, combined with that of the under-floor heating, provides good comfort and healthy conditions during both summer and winter.
A fully controllable artificial lighting system is provided to respond to different church events (see below). Particular emphasis was placed on creating a peaceful internal environment that is conducive to prayer and meditation, while providing discreet yet dramatic lighting to the sanctuary and the hanging Cross.
Church Consecration
The move to the new church occurred in April 2005. The late Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor subsequently consecrated the church on 24th October 2005. This happened on the Saturday nearest to the parish’s patronal feast of St Vincent de Paul on 27th September. The congregation, supported by the parish’s musicians, choir and the new impressive organ, did full justice to the opening hymn, as the Cardinal proceeded down the central aisle to the sanctuary, and blessed the church and congregation from the baptismal font. The congregation followed the consecration steps as the Cardinal placed the Saints’ relics in a floor-box below the altar, and proceeded to anoint the altar and the twelve crosses on the walls around the church. A bowl of incense was lit by the Cardinal on the altar, followed by lighting the twelve candles on the walls. In his homily, the Cardinal congratulated the parish on its new church. Still, it reminded the parishioners that “they are the church” and as such they are called upon to provide a good example in an increasingly secular society. The Cardinal signed the church’s “Record of Dedication” which is displayed in the Narthex. The day following the Consecration marked the beginning of the parish’s long journey towards celebrating its centenary in December 2036!
Parish Hall (formerly the Parish’s Church)
The hall was extensively refurbished and decorated. A new, large, and fully fitted kitchen was provided. A small bar was added. New toilets were provided. The new Hall is rented during weekdays to operate as a Nursery, but is made available for the parish’s use at weekends and feast days. The hall is also available for private hire at the parish’s discretion. The hall rental represents an essential source of income that is used to repay the Diocesan loan.
Church and Hall State-of-the-Art Lighting
Cardinal Vincent Nichols’ campaign “Growing in Faith” yielded enough funds to the Parish to upgrade both the Church and Hall lighting. In 2019, energy-efficient and long-lasting special LED lights were installed to deliver superior performance and exceptionally low energy use. The original bulb holders in the church were adapted and retained to save costs. The church’s lighting controls were upgraded to a state-of-the-art system with fully addressable capabilities, offering up to 16 different lighting levels. This is to accommodate various church uses, ranging from meditation and community prayers to liturgical celebrations and weddings. The new hall lighting controls were also upgraded to cater for different social functions, and to offer flexible and appropriate lighting scenes for hall use and private hire. Industry contacts of a parishioner offered to supply and install the upgraded lighting installations for the church and hall at much reduced costs. Incidentally, the independent lighting designer insisted on charging only a token fee and asked for it to be donated to the parish’s charity for the Nursery Project in Turkana, Kenya.
Prayer Garden – A Tranquil Space for Reflection
A Prayer Garden, adjacent to the Presbytery, was provided as the best alternative for complying with the Planning Gain policy (“106 Agreement”). The policy aims to provide a public amenity, as a prerequisite for consenting to a new building (the church). The Prayer Garden was thoughtfully designed, and a statue of St Edmund Campion, donated by the Jesuits, occupies a prominent position. The Prayer Garden is designed for the local community to use as a tranquil space for reflection and meditation. More importantly, it is used by the parish during part of the liturgical services during Easter and Christmas.
Concluding Thoughts
The new building project could not have happened without the grace of God and the prayers of the parishioners. The prayers and donations of the Parish’s present and past benefactors, from within and outside the parish, have been a source of exceptional support. The invaluable help and hard work of Parish Priests, members of the Building, Finance & Fundraising Committees, and many other individuals too numerous to mention have been instrumental in making the project both a reality and a success.
Church history’s authors: parishioners Terry Weiler (deceased) and Mohsen Zikri