New community for young Catholics in Wimbledon

Three community members

Source: Jesuits in Britain

The Jesuits are supporting a group of young Catholics to create a new community in the former international Jesuit students' residence in Wimbledon, southwest London, Jesuits in Britain report.

With the closure of Heythrop College in October 2018, the community houses in London which supported Jesuit scholastics from round the world are being re-purposed as the province considers and plans for a new and different future ministry in the intellectual apostolate.

Two former participants in what is now called the 'Faith and Politics Internship' run by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales have approached Jesuits in Britain about using one of the houses for a community of young Catholics.

Edward de Quay was an intern in 2013-14. He now works for Caritas as a development worker. His role is to work with parishes to explore and then find ways to meet local community needs, for example homelessness or isolation.

"As I talk to parish groups around the country," Ed explains, "one issue keeps coming up and that is the lack of younger adults engaged in parishes." Ed learned that the Jesuit community house might soon be empty and proposed an innovative new use.