Our Choirs
St Bede’s Parish Choir, led by Piers Tattersall, our Musical director. They meet every Tuesday at 7 pm and sing at the Sunday 9.30 Family Mass. Every Easter and Christmas they endeavour to sing a polyphonic Mass. If you are interested in joining this choir, please contact Piers claphamparkmusic@rcaos.org.uk
St Bede’s Children’s Choirs, led by our Musical Director, Piers Tattersall. There is a children’s choir for both the English Mass & the Latin Mass. These groups meets once a month for practice on Saturday or Sunday mornings. The choir sings once a month at the 9.30 and 11 am Masses. Any queries or if you are interested in joining the children’s choir, please contact Piers directly.
St Bede’s Traditional Choir, accompanied by Piers Tattersall, is comprised of young men and women who are led by an accomplished cantor, Dr John Tennant in the ancient Gregorian chant and Polyphonic. They sing on three out of four Sundays at the Latin High Mass at 11 am.
Communities within the Parish
St Bede’s Latin Mass Community was initiated by an extraordinary Jesuit of Jewish parentage, Fr Hugh Simon Thwaites (1917-2012) in January 1995. This was taken over by Fr Andrew Southwell in March 1997 and has developed into a dynamic community of worship which has charitable status and has fostered developments in street Evangelisation in Brixton, a library/repository, a vestment repair group and several initiatives for children. It has links to the national LMS.
Guild of St Clare – for all ages. The group meets on the first Saturday of the month in the club following the 9.30 am Latin Mass. Led by Susan Gollop & Vreni Windsor
St Bede’s Latin American Fraternity: In the 1990s, due to large immigration from Columbia and Ecuador, Monsignor Leo White began the Mass in Spanish on Saturday evenings followed by a merry reunion in the Social club. This Mass is said every Saturday at 7.30 pm.
African – Caribbean Society of St Bede’s meets on the last Sunday of the month in the parish club, after the 9.30 Mass. Founded by Thaddeus Emenonyou in 1995. They have an annual Thanksgiving Mass in October and a celebration in May.
Children’s Groups & Activities
St Bede’s Altar Servers (Archconfraternity of St Stephen)
For a century St Bede’s Altar Servers have been assisting the priests in the liturgy of the Church, and many have gone on to the sacred priesthood, including the late Archbishop Beck of Liverpool, Monsignor David Greenstock, former Rector of Valladolid, Fr Anthony Charlton, and Fr John Henry of Earlsfield and Fr Tom Lynch (now PP in Stroud). We have two server guilds – for the English Mass and the Latin Mass with 35 servers. Twice a year we have a servers trip and on the feast of St Stephen (Boxing Day), we have a Mass for our Altar Servers with a thank you for all their help over the past year.
Sodality of Our Lady, led by Izabela Kowzan and Tori Truett. This group is for girls aged 8-18. Once a month, the members of this group take part in the 9.30 am Mass, including reading
“Fun & Faith” St Bede’s Sunday School is every Sunday 10.45 am to 11.30 am in the club rooms – the classes are fun and activity-based and are led by the Elizabeth Small.
Parents can join in or enjoy tea and coffee in the adjoining area. All primary school children are invited to join in with the catechism class. It is so important for children to learn about their faith and enjoy that experience in the parish. They will have the chance to meet the priests and sisters of the parish and grow their Catholic lives each Sunday.
Adults Groups & Activities
Catholic Film Nights (First Saturday of the month)
7 pm – 10.30 pm in the club rooms – with a meal and discussion included. Please see the newsletter for details.
The Union of Catholic Mothers is a vibrant group of women who are committed to parish life, founded at St Bede’s in 1957. They now meet monthly on a Thursday afternoon. For many years, the UCM were the prime movers behind the parish bazaar, which is held just before Advent Sunday, and which raises over £10,000 in two days. They have a lot of fun going on pilgrimages, shopping trips and days out. Mgr. Leo was their unofficial chaplain ever since he retired in 2001, returning every Thursday evening to say Mass for them until he moved back in April 2017, when he continued to say their weekly Mass and join them in all their activities – with a much shorter commute!!
Parish Committees
St Bede’s Parish Council is a consultative advisory group of parishioners representing different parts of the parish. Besides the Clergy, the members are Marcia Marshall, Phyllis Cort, Maggie Keane, John Reddin, Maria Chan Chang, Lena Douggan, Catalina Snowdon, Karolina Tattersall, Fraser Crossingham, Helen Dixon, Marissa Lawingco and Debra Golingan,
St Bede’s Finance Committee meet three times a year and the committee is made up of the following members: Fr Pawel Sobol (Parish Priest); Kieran Maloney (Chair / Accountant); Nora Horan (Finance & Parish Administrator), Marie Chan Chang (Gift Aid Co-Ordinator) and James Windsor (Property).
Other Groups within the Parish
Special Sundays
These take place monthly and are open to everyone. Shared lunch at 1 pm followed by a lecture by a guest speaker. Apologetics for the teenagers with one of our priests, catechesis for younger children with Karolina Tattersall. See the newsletter for dates.
St Bede’s Social Club was founded largely by Fr Ronald Salmon, who was at St Bede’s from 1968 to 1981. He completely reconstructed the old servant’s quarters and kitchen of Hyde House (the presbytery) and made it into an active social club. These clubs are not what they were 25 years ago, but here we serve our parishioners every Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday after the main Masses.
We hope to have groups for
Legion of Mary are currently looking for new members. They meet on Thursday evenings at 7 pm in the club rooms.