We are a small rural Roman Catholic parish, within the Diocese of Brentwood in north Essex serving 14 villages: Berden, Birchanger, Berden, Broxted, Burton End, Clavering, Elsenham, Henham, Manuden, Quendon, Rickling Green, Stansted Mountfitchet, Ugley and Widdington
We are part of a deanery of five parishes: Stansted Mountfitchet, Saffron Walden, Thaxted, Dunmow, Hatfield and Broad Oak.
The parish is blessed to have a Priest-in -Charge, a Permanent Deacon and a part time Parish Administrator.
The site upon which the Church complex is built was donated to the Parish by a Parishioner and completed in 2002. There is good access for disabled parishioners and visitors and ample parking. The Church is spacious and we welcome new parishioners and visitors.
A bit of history
The first Catholic Church to be built in this area in recent times was St. Anthony’s in Henham, erected in 1933 on land donated by the De Steene family. In 1958 an additional site was purchased at Millside, Stansted. The same year the Mill House at Millside was bought and turned into a House-Church. Eventually these buildings became inadequate for a growing parish community and changing needs.
The existing parish complex at High Lane consisting of the Church, the Parish Centre and the Presbytery was made possible because of the generosity of the Braeckman family who donated the land for the development.
The church is in the style of an Essex barn and the architect is a local man, Jim Boutwood. The interior of the church is modern and the liturgical layout and artwork was created by the artist Stephen Foster.
Diocese of Brentwood
The Diocese of Brentwood was formed in 1917 when it was separated from the Archdiocese of Westminster. Initially, the Diocese was called ‘Essex’ until it was decided where the new Bishop would reside. The Diocese of Brentwood was formally erected on July 20th, 2017 with the See in the town of Brentwood and Bishop Ward its first Ordinary.
Covering an area of 3,959km² our Diocese encompasses rural, urban and inner-city settlements. We have 12 Deaneries with 82 Parishes. Our current Bishop, Alan Williams, SM, was appointed the seventh Brentwood Bishop on April 14th, 2014 and consecrated on July 1st 2014 by Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
