Catholic Churches of Our Lady of Sorrows,
Effingham and The Holy Spirit, Fetcham

History of the church

In 1960 Fr Albert Hadshar, parish priest of Leatherhead, purchased Bell Cottage in School Lane, the site of the present church and later St Mary’s Lodge which is now the Presbytery. In 1966 Fr Edward Diliger who suceeeded Fr Hadshar in Leatherhead asked the architects to draw up plans for the church. In 1967 on 14 January Fr Thomas Purcell, curate at Leatherhead, was appointed Fetcham’s first resident priest.

On 25 October 1968 The Church of the Holy Spirit was opened, solemnly blessed and dedicated by the late Bishop of the Diocese, the Rt Rev David Cashman and then on 4^th June 1971, Fetcham, once part of Leatherhead parish, became a parish itself with Fr Thomas Purcell as its parish priest.

On 12 May 1979 The church was solemnly consecrated by the Bishop, the Rt Rev Cormac Murphy-O’Connor.

Fr John Davies became priest in charge in 1979 and in 1981 Fr Timothy Jelf became parish priest.

The church was destroyed by fire on 3 March 1987, Shrove Tuesday. The Rector, David Baker and the Anglican community of St Mary’s, Fetcham unanimously offered their church for the main Sunday Mass at 10.30am, moving their own service to 9m and generously provided the altar linen, bread and wine. Other Masses were held in the parish hall.

In 1987 on Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass was celebrated in the rebuilt and refurbished church of the Holy Spirit by Fr Timothy Jelf and in 1988 the church was rededicated by the Bishop of Arundel & Brighton, the Rt Rev Cormac Murphy-O’Connor. On 27 April 1991 a Golden Jubilee Mass was offered at the Church of the Holy Spirit and on 28 April concelebrated as was offered by the priests of the Deanery.

Fr Hugh Flower, the present parish priest came to Holy Spirit Church on 5 December 2005.