Sacred Heart aims for return
by Advent Sunday

The staff and parishioners of Sacred Heart parish in Wimbledon are anticipating the arrival of oak tile flooring and their newly restored historic organ.  It is hoped that next week will see the start of the laying of the tiles, with a view to the first services in the church taking place at the end of November.

'Much of the work being done right now is cleaning and decorating the sanctuary and back chapels, while the floor of the nave is drying,' explains Jesuit parish priest, Father Keith McMillan SJ. 'This week they are putting in the stones that will be placed between the nave columns.  If everything goes to plan the first oak tile will be laid on the floor on Monday 27 September.  I hope to be there with camera to note the first tile.

'The final arrangements are being made to facilitate our return to the church.  The floor contractors need to finish the floor and then the heavy bits of the organ returned, which requires some scaffolding.'

The Sacred Heart organ was built on a Cathedral scale by the firm of J W Walker & Sons, in 1912.  It is a rare surviving example of an organ of tubular-pneumatic action - every part of the mechanism is driven by compressed air, which passes through miles of metal piping - while other organs of the Edwardian period have been irrevocably altered through the substitution of modern electric actions.  It was removed for restoration in April, following the granting of a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £237,000.

The next stage will be to return the pews and put them safely into position. 'We should be in by the First Sunday of Advent (last Sunday of November) if all goes well,' says an optimistic Fr McMillan. 'All this takes time and I am a bit wearied of waiting.  But I keep reminding myself that when we return we will have a beautiful place to worship the Lord for another 100 years.'

The first part of the new church (the nave) was opened on the feast of the Sacred Heart, 17 June 1887.  Since then, it has been served by the Society of Jesus - the Jesuits.
Photos of the work and its progress - taken by Fr Keith McMillan SJ - can be seen on www.sacredheartwimbledon.org.uk (link below)


 Sacred Heart parish