| Description | The Roman Catholic church of St Bede, in the parish of Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, was built in 1958 and consecrated in 1975. While the church is dedicated to St Bede, it also has a special devotion to its first patron, St Theresa of Lisieux.
As the Catholic population of Croxley Green began to increase during the inter-War period, priests from the Rickmansworth parish of Our Lady Help of Christians began to supply a priest to say Mass in various local venues such as the British Restaurant, Durrant's School and Dickinson's Social Centre in New Road. Eventually, a committee was formed to raise funds towards the construction of a church on a plot of land purchased by Mgr Canon Arthur Jackman, then Rector of Watford, in 1939. The new brick building was hired out during the week to raise money and used as a Mass Centre on Sundays. The building was blessed as a Chapel of Ease by the former Bishop of Brentwood, Bishop Beck, AA, on 6 February 1952. The Chapel was first dedicated to St Theresa of Lisieux, but later changed to the devotion of St Bede under the direction of Cardinal Godfrey, partly because he considered it more appropriate that the church should be under the patronage of an English saint and partly to differentiate the church from St Theresa's in Boreham Wood..
In 1958, the congregation successfully petitioned the Cardinal to separate Croxley Green from Our Lady Help of Christians, Rickmansworth parish, and make it a parish in its own right. As the congregation were not yet able to support a priest, Mgr John Michael Clarke, CBE, a retired Senior Chaplain, was sent to minister to Croxley Green. He drew up the plans for the completion of the church and the construction of a parish hall and presbytery. However, ill-health forced him into retirement two years later. Mgr Clarke was succeeded by Fr Willam Campling, MBE, who, like Mgr Clarke, had also been an Army Chaplain. Fr Campling saw the completion of the church and the construction of the presbytery and hall planned by his predecessor, as well as the sacristy.
In 1964, Fr Campling moved on to Berkhampstead, and was succeeded at Croxley Green by Fr John 'Dad' Clayton. In 1969, St Bede's was redecorated and the Sanctuary reconstructed to comp0ly with the requirements of the New Liturgy imposed after Vatican II. The architect George Mathers was commissioned to carry out the work. The parish debt incurred through all the building work and reconstruction was finally cleared in 1975 and on the 24 May that year, the church was consecrated by Bishop Butler. Following Fr Clayton's retirement. Fr Joseph Staunton became parish priest. He continued the refurbishment and repair of the church interior, including the purchase of a compact pipe organ to replace the electric harmonium that had been in use. Fr John Dutton quickly succeeded Fr Joseph Staunton as parish priest in 1978. |