The Orphanage Chapel (altar at right), the centre of Orpington's
Catholic worship
since 1907, finally became the Catholic Parish Church on 11 December 1971.
Its life in this new role was to be very short for the building's foundation was found to be moving and beyond repair. When it was decided to rebuild the Church, a competition was held, and six architects submitted designs for a church with halls and presbytery.
A redevelopment committee was set up to represent parish opinion, and to liaise with the architect, the contractors and the Diocesan authorities.
On 11 May 1980, Archbishop Michael Bowen, Archbishop of Southwark, laid the foundation bronze plinth for the tabernacle base, the point from which all other measurements would be taken in the construction of the Church. The ceremony was preceded by a concelebrated Mass in the old Church for the adults, and a children's Mass in St Anne's Primary School for the children.
The new church was both consecrated and opened on the same day, 20 September 1981, with Archbishop Michael Bowen conducting the ceremony. Fr. Michael Phelan and Fr. Barry Angus anointed the consecration crosses, the Archbishop anointed the Altar, and Fr. Eric Mead carried the relic of St. Timothy, which the Archbishop presented and entombed in the front of the Altar. In his sermon, the Archbishop remarked that it was the ambition of every Parish Priest to build a new church and he congratulated Fr. Michael Phelan on achieving this aim.
The next day, the builders returned and work started on the surrounding housing development, with the old church being one of the first buildings to be demolished.