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St Mary Abbots Church regards the safe care and protection of children and vulnerable adults as of the utmost importance. Our Safeguarding office is Rona and can be reached by email
[email protected] or please contact the Diocesan helpline: 02079321224. |
The church is open daily
from 8.30am - 6pm and on Saturday 10am - 6pm
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Dear friends,
I’m not always the quickest to process change. It often takes time for reality to catch up with me. Even as I write this, it still hasn’t quite sunk in that this Sunday will be my last at St Mary Abbots. I still have a couple of sermons to finish, so I’m still in St Mary Abbots mode. That said I have had the chance to reflect on my time here in Kensington. When I do, three words come to mind: kindness, fun, and challenge. I didn’t really know what to expect from St Mary Abbots. I found a beautiful, impressive building, exceptionally well run, standing prominently on a busy central London high street. But what I hadn’t anticipated was the depth of community and kindness within it. I have had the privilege of working alongside two priests who work tirelessly because they genuinely love what they do and the people they serve. I’ve been part of a staff team that supports one another and takes real pride in their work. I’ve come to know a congregation that is warm, faithful, and deeply committed to both church and community. I never expected people not to be kind, but I have been genuinely struck by the consistency of that kindness —the friendliness, the generosity of spirit, and the strong sense of belonging that shapes life here. There is something very special about that. It has also been so much fun—much of that thanks to the number of young people connected to the church. Having a school on site creates a dynamic I hadn’t fully anticipated. I didn’t realise quite how much joy it would bring. Building relationships with children, parents, and teachers and staff has been a huge gift. Leading weekly collective worship and Mass, and more recently running football club, has been a particular highlight. The children are a gift to the church. I’ve loved hearing their wonderfully daft stories and sharing in their silly humour, but also having those surprisingly profound conversations about life and faith. It’s been a joy to walk through the area during the week and bump into families, to feel that the church’s life spills naturally out into the community. That closeness is rare, and I will miss it very much. Finally, I described my time here as challenging—and I mean that in the best possible way. Not because I haven’t enjoyed it, but because I hadn’t anticipated the particular needs of this parish. Kensington may have a reputation for being well-heeled, and in many ways that’s true. But it is also a busy part of central London, with all the complexity that brings. Because the church is open every day—warm, welcoming, and safe—we regularly meet people in crisis. Staff, clergy, and volunteers encounter individuals with complex and sometimes overwhelming needs. Responding to that has been stretching. It has required patience, wisdom, and collaboration. Yet it has also been a privilege: building relationships with those who are struggling, and working alongside charities and organisations better equipped to walk with them. Those encounters have shaped me deeply. I want to finish simply by saying thank you. St Mary Abbots will always be a special place for me. I leave feeling that I am a better priest—and, I hope, a better person—for having shared this time with you. Please keep in touch. Blessings, Fr Tim 26th February 2026 |
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The PCC of St Mary Abbots Church
Charity No: 1132235 |
