Lent, Holy Week
& Easter Services
Vincentian Community
(Congregation of the Mission)
St. Benet's Catholic Church,
Abbey Wood
St. David's Catholic Church,
Abbey Wood
St. Paul's Catholic Church,
Thamesmead
St. Mary Magdalene's Catholic
Church, Rotherham
Catholic Certificate in
Religious Studies
Justice, Peace and
Integrity of Creation
Liturgy Office England & Wales
St. Francis Catholic
Primary School
Southwark Catholic
Youth Services
The Marriage & Family Life Team
The onGoing Formation of Priests
Index ✟ About ✟ A Guide Around Our Church ✟
Welcome to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.
Churches are essentially places where people can gather safely to worship God as His people. 'Church' means assembley though it refers specifically to Christians united in one faith. It is the people who make up the Church, so the building where they gather is also called a church.
From this understanding we can work out what are the most important things in a Church.
For the faithful to worship God they need:
Someone to lead them - hence the Presidential Chair.
Somewhere for God to speak to them - hence the Lectern.
Somewhere to celebrate the Eucharist - hence the Altar.
Somehow to join the community of the faithful - hence the Baptismal Font.
You will note that the first three of these is in a special place we call a
Sanctuary or Holy Space.
  
  
The Font, since it is the means by which one starts ones Christian life, is often at the back and sometimes in a separate building outside the church. However as baptism is essentially linked to the other sacraments of the Church, a font may be placed in the sanctuary either permanently or just for the Service of Baptism. We have both in our church, the original permanent font in a chapel at the North West corner for single baptisms, but also a moveable font on the sanctuary for performing several baptisms.
As we come into church there are two Holy Water Fonts where we can take Holy Water as a sign that we have been baptised and therefore, though all are welcome, we as members of the Church have a right to be in this place.
The Sanctuary is the place set aside for those serving in specific ministeries:
• Priest - is the Mass celebrant
• Additional Priest - Concelebrates Mass with the main celebrant
• Deacon - Assists the Priest at Mass
• Acolytes (Altar Servers)
• Lectors (Readers)
• Extra-Ordinary Ministers of the Holy Eucharist (Lay Ministers)
It it from here that they lead the Liturgical Celebrations.
The Crucifix in which we see the open arms of our
Saviour welcoming and receiving us into His Presence.
The crucifix is required by the Church to be visible
during the celebration of Mass.
This is to remind us of the sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus
on the altar of the cross, which is made present for us
each time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist.
Although Our Lord is Risen, we need to remind
ourselves what he had to endure during his Passion
and Death on a cross, before the Resurrection could
take place.
The figure of the Jesus suffering on the crucifix
is a powerful act of sacrifice by Jesus' as he atones
for our sins and the sins of the world. It gives
reconciliation in the relationship between God and
humanity which makes it possbile for us to enter
into heaven.
The Presidential Chair where the main celebrant at any Mass or Service sits to gather the faithful in worship. NB in a Cathedral there is also a Cathedra which is reserved for the Bishop. Hence his church is called a Cathedral.
The Lectern is the reading desk where we celebrate the Liturgy of the Word. We proclaim and explain passages from the Bible. Here the Lord feeds us with his word. In our church we have two identical Ambos. (Ambos means 'both'). The one on the North Side is used as a lectern. The one on the South Side is used by the celebrant, though strictly this should be at his chair.
The Altar is where we celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It is both an altar of sacrifice and a table showing the two different aspects of the Eucharist:
1. Offering to God
2. Feeding us with Holy Communion.
Sacred Vessels/Objects.
Ciborium; The vessel we use to hold the 'Hosts' (Body
of Christ), which is to be used during the Mass for Holy
Communion.
We also use the Ciborium to reserve the Blessed
Sacrament (Body of Christ) in the Tabernacle.
Chalice; The large cup which is used during the Mass by
the Celebrant when he Consecrates the wine into the
'Blood of Christ'.
Paten; A round metal plate used to hold the host (bread)
during the Mass which the celebreat concecrates into the
'Body of Christ.'
Corporal; This is a white linen cloth which is placed on
the Altar. The sacred vessels are placed upon it containing
the bread & wine which will become the Body & Blood of
Christ.
Purificator; A small rectangular white cloth. This is used to
wipe the Chalice during Holy Communion.
It is also used to clean & purify the Chalice, Paten &
Ciborium after the distribution of Holy Communion.
Cruets; These are the containers we use to hold the wine
and the water that is to be used during the Mass.
Lavabo Bowl & Towel; The Lavabo Bowl is used in conjuction
with the Finger Towel by the Priest to symbolically wash his
hands before beginning the Consecration.
Pall; A white, square & stiff cover that is used to cover the Paten
when it is on the Chalice. And also during Mass to cover the
Chalice containing the Wine and then, after Consecration, when it
contains the Blood of Christ.
Thurible & Boat; During solemn occasions, such as the Mass,
the Thurible (Censor) is used to incense the Altar, The Gospel,
The Bread & Wine (after the offertory), The Priest, The Congregation
and the Eucharist. The Boat contains the incense that is to be placed
into the Thurible. The fragrant smoke is a symbolic rising of our
prayers to Heaven and purifying what it touches.
Aspersorium; This metal bucket is used to hold the Holy
Water which is used during Liturgical Celebrations.
Aspergillum; A liturgical instrument that is used to sprinkle
the Holy Water that is usually contained in the Aspersorium.
Credence Table; A table on the Altar on which the Servers
place the vessels that will be used during the Mass.
Ablutions Bowl; This is a bowl which contains water, sometimes
mixed with a little antiseptic liquid, to clean and purify the hands of
the Extra-Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion before and after
the distribution of Holy Communion during the Mass.
Windows, Statues and other parts in Our Church
The Tabernacle; This is where we reserve Communion under the
appearance of bread. This has been consecrated at Mass, but put
aside for use outside at other times. The Tabernacle was originally
made so that Communion could be taken to the sick or housebound.
However, since it is the Real Presence of Christ it has also become a
focus of veneration.
Strictly, the Tabernacle (tent from the time when the Israelites erected a moveble holy place in their dersert wandering) was in a side chapel or sacristy as it is in larger churches such as a cathedral. In older churches you may find one in an ambry or cupboard in a side wall of the sanctuary. In smaller churches it eventually was placed in the middle of the apse.
From this has arisen a problem that now people are not quite sure whether to treat the church as an oratory for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament or a church where people gather to celebrate the Liturgy. i.e should we be quiet in church or chat as we greet each other?
We are blessed that our church is able to stay open for prayer most days. You will probably see on the altar a Monstrance. This is a way of putting on display or demonstrating Jesus in The Blessed Sacrament which would otherwise be reserved in the Tabernacle.
The Confessionals. These are used for the Sacrament of
Reconciliation (Penance, Confession, Forgiveness). Our Confessionals
are double or twin from the times when there were many queuing up
to receive the sacrament. The priest would sit in the middle and
open each side one at a time. Nowadays this Sacrament is quite often
celebrated in the open especially when there are children.
The Lady Chapel at the South East corner is a
chapel dedicated to the Mother of God. It is also
in our church, a place where mothers can go
during Services with their children if they are a
bit noisy.
St. Francis Chapel at the North East corner reminds us that this church was originally a Friary built by the Franciscans in 1866 and served by them until 2000 AD.
Now the parish is served by the Vincentian Community (Congregation of the Mission).
The Statues. Since the church is a family, we like to remember past members who have done well, who have set us an example and since they are with the Lord, can intercede on our behalf. Most people carry a picture of someone they love or have a picture of a past member of their family put up in their homes. Many people talk to their deceased relatives and even ask them for help.
![]() Saint Francis |
![]() Saint Patrick |
Saint Anthony |
![]() Saint Joseph |
Sacred Heart |
![]() Saint Vincent de Paul, C.M. |
![]() Saint Louise de Marrillac, D.C. |
![]() Saint Catherine Labouré, D.C. |
![]() Jesus Is Condemned To Death | ![]() Jesus Is Made To Carry His Cross AA |
![]() Jesus Falls The First Time AA |
![]() Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother AA |
![]() Simon Of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross |
![]() Veronica Wipes The Face Of Jesus AA |
![]() Jesus Falls For The Second Time AA |
![]() The Women Of Jerusalem Weep Over Jesus |
![]() Jesus Falls For The Third Time AA |
![]() Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments AA |
![]() Jesus Is Nail To The Cross AA |
![]() Jesus Is Raised On The Cross And Dies |
![]() Jesus Is Taken Down And Placed Into The Arms Of His Mother |
![]() Jesus Is Laid In The Sepulcher AA |
![]() Saint Andrew |
![]() Saint Barnabas |
![]() Saint Bartholmew |
![]() Saint James the Great |
![]() Saint James the Less |
![]() Saint John |
![]() Saint Luke |
![]() Saint Mark |
![]() Saint Matthew |
![]() Saint Matthias |
![]() Saint Paul |
![]() Saint Peter |
![]() Saint Philip |
![]() Saint Simon |
![]() Saint Thaddeus |
![]() Saint Thomas |
![]() Our Lady of Seven Sorrows AA |
![]() Jesus is laid in the Tomb AA |
![]() The Death of Jesus AA |
![]() Saint Francis's Stigmata AA |
![]() Jesus's Body is taken down AA |
![]() Jesus meets his Mother AA |
![]() Jesus is lost in the temple AA |
![]() Flight into Egypt AA AA |
![]() Presentation AA AA |
![]() Tomb AA AA |
![]() Shroud AA AA |
![]() Notice 'INRI' AA AA |
![]() Vinegar, Ladder and Spices AA |
![]() Empty cross AA AA |
![]() Spear & Heart AA AA |
![]() Garment AA AA |
![]() Dice AA AA |
![]() Nails AA AA |
![]() Hammer & Pliers AA AA |
![]() Veil AA AA |
![]() Crown of Thorns AA AA |
![]() Sceptres & Reeds AA AA |
![]() Scourges AA AA |
![]() Pillars AA AA |
![]() Chalice AA AA |
![]() Crossed arms of St. Francis and Our Lord. Cross of Lorraine. (the symbol of St. Lawrence of Brindisi - Patron Saint of the Province). |
![]() Franciscan Motto: 'Deus meus et Omnia' which means "My God and my All." |
![]() A representation of the Most Holy Eucharist |
![]() Symbol of St. Lawrence of Brindisi. He was a Preacher and is holing the cross. |
![]() A symbol representing Our Blessed Lady |
![]() A symbol representing St. Francis |
![]() The Pieta |
Former Guardians of Peckham |
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