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Past Times, St Monicaʼs Church Celebrating 100 years not to say the site of a church. So Father Heditch is in trouble, crying in the wilderness of Palmers Green.” Parishioner Cecil Hughes recalled for our golden jubilee, “Thus it was that early in 1911 we found ourselves in a larger house standing in its own grounds in Green Lanes opposite St John's Church, named Hazelwood House, a stone's throw from our present church. We were the last tenants - shops are there now.” St Monica’s church, 1914
Following the construction of the railway line from Wood Green to Enfield in 1871, the hamlet of Palmers Green began to increase in size as new houses were built and people moved into the area. Soon, there was a need for a church for the number of Roman Catholics in the area, so Fr Thomas Heditch, with the approval of Cardinal Bourne, opened a Catholic mission in Palmers Green and the first Sunday Mass was celebrated on 10th July 1910. The small congregation of around 60 people gathered initially in a private house on Grovelands Road, but the neighbours weren't welcoming, even though Fr Heditch said they would abandon the singing of hymns! By 20th August , The Tablet Catholic newspaper printed the following tongue-in-cheek report: “The troubles of Palmers Green grow. Not only are they without a church, but they are without even a foothold of any sort, the Catholics of Palmers Green. A house was hired, Mass was said, jaundiced neighbours complained, and lessors discovered that a covenant of the lease barred use of the house for religious worship, and now the difficulty arises how to find even a house, St Monica’s inaugural Mass 1914
Following Fr Heditch’s retirement due to ill health, a new priest, Fr Patrick Gallagher, was appointed to Palmers Green in June 1912. Cecil Hughes described him as a ‘giant of purposeful drive and energy … he never rested, never tired. He did everything.’ Within a year, Fr Gallagher had bought the land for the new church from an initially reluctant vendor, Barratts, the sweet makers of Wood Green; erected a temporary ‘tin hut’ church and set about fund raising. Donations were made by parishioners and benefactors and a ‘Dutch Kermese’ (bazaar) took place in the spring of 1913, held in neighbouring St John’s Hall. The foundation stone was laid on 20th June 1913 by Cardinal Bourne, although its location is now unknown! The church was designed by architect Edward Goldie of Goldie & Child, in the ‘Perpendicular Gothic’ style and built of Bath Stone by local firm J Bysouth Ltd of Tottenham. St Monica’s church was officially opened on 4th May 1914 - the original feast day of St Monica. Cardinal Bourne presided at the Solemn Opening Mass and was enthusiastically welcomed by a gathering of nearly 600, including 40 clergy and builder John Bysouth and his wife Alice. The Bowes Park Weekly News declared that ‘The new church is a decided ornament to the district. It is solidly and simply built of stone and the square tower is a majestic feature.’
The Parish Team, L to R: Ann Till (Parish Secretary), Fr Andrew Gallagher (Assistant Priest), Sr Joyce Dionne (Parish Sister), Canon Shaun Lennard (Parish Priest), Anna McMullan (Youth Project Co-Ordinator)
priest Canon Shaun Lennard and Assistant Priest Fr Andrew Gallagher (no relation!). Special guests included Mr John Bysouth, the grandson of the builder of the church. Canon Shaun said on the day “We are building on the work of many people who have gone before us, priests, religious and laity, who have given of their time and talents so generously.” Afterwards everyone enjoyed a bbq in the church grounds in warm sunshine.
Image supplied by Vincent Murphy
Exactly one hundred years later, almost a thousand parishioners gathered on Sunday 4th May 2014 to celebrate the centenary of St Monica’s church. Cardinal Vincent Nichols from Westminster Cathedral said the Mass, alongside parish
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