Our Lady Help of Christians, Tile Cross
Our Lady Help of Christians RC at Kitt's Green, in the Tile Cross area of Birmingham is a stunning late 1960s Catholic church by Richard Gilbert Scott and very inventive, on a T-shaped plan with a ribbed roof that curve upwards, rising to form a central tower over the core of the building. Not everyone will find this attractive, but I actually find it all the more remarkable for it.
Copious quantities of stained glass is visible in the windows and weirdly shaped apertures, but alas I was out of luck as it was all locked up. There was a notice directing people wishing access to the church to the priest's house behind it, but I could tell my efforts were in vain as my appeal to look inside was met with a puzzled frown and a suggestion that I come back for mass the following morning. He was perhaps busy which is fair enough, but for me living nearly 20 miles away returning wasn't so simple.
I wasn't overly keen on looking around after a service, the timings didn't suit my trains and it would be likely busy, so when I saw 'confessions' listed 11-12 Saturday mornings thought that might be a better bet. Turned up to find the church was open but with a few people (inc. the priest I'd met before, who I didn't think would be overly keen to see me loitering again) sitting or kneeling quietly inside, I realised it was now exposition of the Blessed Sacrament instead. A very awkward time to look around, I'd have to content myself with quietly keeping out of the way in the chapels at the back and get some pics of their windows at least, but this wasn't enough for one member of the flock who noticed me and glared in a 'How dare you enter our church!' kind of way! I retreated out of sight into the baptistery to sit and look at a fine abstract window, but he decided to come and stand staring aggressively opposite me and clearly wanted to start something, but the atmosphere of awed silence prevented this and he left, but he'd made his point, I knew I was not welcome in this church.
I left shortly afterwards myself feeling frustrated (for the second time, not having been able to view or record the full interior) and deeply uncomfortable. I was hoping to bump meet my would-be assailant outside, having mentally prepared some suitable Biblical quotes about Christian behaviour since he displayed so little of it, but it was most likely just an all too common case of being judged guilty of whatever before proven innocent.
So to summarise, this is one of the most remarkable modern church buildings I've seen, but from my experiences also just about the most unwelcoming I've ever visited. I'm sure, with hindsight, staying after a mass would have been a far better choice after all, reception might have been different (certainly couldn't be worse).
Our Lady Help of Christians, Tile Cross
Our Lady Help of Christians RC at Kitt's Green, in the Tile Cross area of Birmingham is a stunning late 1960s Catholic church by Richard Gilbert Scott and very inventive, on a T-shaped plan with a ribbed roof that curve upwards, rising to form a central tower over the core of the building. Not everyone will find this attractive, but I actually find it all the more remarkable for it.
Copious quantities of stained glass is visible in the windows and weirdly shaped apertures, but alas I was out of luck as it was all locked up. There was a notice directing people wishing access to the church to the priest's house behind it, but I could tell my efforts were in vain as my appeal to look inside was met with a puzzled frown and a suggestion that I come back for mass the following morning. He was perhaps busy which is fair enough, but for me living nearly 20 miles away returning wasn't so simple.
I wasn't overly keen on looking around after a service, the timings didn't suit my trains and it would be likely busy, so when I saw 'confessions' listed 11-12 Saturday mornings thought that might be a better bet. Turned up to find the church was open but with a few people (inc. the priest I'd met before, who I didn't think would be overly keen to see me loitering again) sitting or kneeling quietly inside, I realised it was now exposition of the Blessed Sacrament instead. A very awkward time to look around, I'd have to content myself with quietly keeping out of the way in the chapels at the back and get some pics of their windows at least, but this wasn't enough for one member of the flock who noticed me and glared in a 'How dare you enter our church!' kind of way! I retreated out of sight into the baptistery to sit and look at a fine abstract window, but he decided to come and stand staring aggressively opposite me and clearly wanted to start something, but the atmosphere of awed silence prevented this and he left, but he'd made his point, I knew I was not welcome in this church.
I left shortly afterwards myself feeling frustrated (for the second time, not having been able to view or record the full interior) and deeply uncomfortable. I was hoping to bump meet my would-be assailant outside, having mentally prepared some suitable Biblical quotes about Christian behaviour since he displayed so little of it, but it was most likely just an all too common case of being judged guilty of whatever before proven innocent.
So to summarise, this is one of the most remarkable modern church buildings I've seen, but from my experiences also just about the most unwelcoming I've ever visited. I'm sure, with hindsight, staying after a mass would have been a far better choice after all, reception might have been different (certainly couldn't be worse).