St Luke’s Parish in Pinner celebrated its centenary on 1st February 2014, marking the anniversary of its foundation with a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Archbishop Vincent Nichols. It was the first of a series of commemorative events planned for 2014 to remember this milestone.
In his homily Archbishop Vincent talked about all that was worth celebrating in the parish and all that had transpired in the church over the last hundred years:
‘What are we congratulating each other about today? The longevity of a parish? Certainly! The fidelity of so many people who make up the parish? Most surely! The memory of the priests who have served in this parish, including our present parish priest, Canon Robert? Naturally! All those religious, especially the Dominican sisters, who have offered their lives in service of this parish? Of course! The richness of the groups and activities of the parish over these years, not forgetting The Grail, present in this parish for sixty years? Definitely! The growing strength of commitment within the Pinner Association of Churches? Indeed! The beauty of this building, the House of God, and its predecessor next door? Yes!’
‘There is much to celebrate; and I hope that as the year progresses there will be many opportunities to explore this rich history and thank God for all the graces and blessings received here since Mass was first celebrated by Fr John Caulfield on this day in 1914. There have been marriages and baptisms, first confessions, Holy Communions and confirmations and, of course the sad memories of funerals, together with the strong promise of the resurrection of the dead to new life in the Lord.’
The mission was founded in 1914 when the first Mass was celebrated in a small room within a residential home in Hatch End, Pinner. The land for a new church was bought in July 1914 and the foundation stone blessed by Cardinal Francis Bourne in April 1915. This building is now the parish centre, after the construction of the present church in 1957.
At the heart of this Centenary year there will be special celebrations of the Mass and the other Sacraments.
Visitors through the year include Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and Father Christopher Jamieson OSB, the National Vocations Director, along with the Deputy Mayor of Harrow, local clergy and other dignitaries. A group from the parish will also go on a pilgrimage walking part of the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in May.
