This Roman Catholic Church, the smallest (Parish and Church) in the whole Archdiocese of Southwark, is close to the River Thames on the South Bank, a stone's throw away from Waterloo Station and from the London Eye. It rubs shoulders with illustrious buildings, such as the Festival Hall, the National Theatre, the Old Vic, the Hayward Gallery...
St. Patrick's RC Church in Cornwall Road is easily missed, but for Waterloo commuters it is a handy church. Even the Sunday Masses occasionally have someone in the congregation who has just come off an early train. It is frequented mainly by people of different languages, colours and cultures. As such it is truly a tiny universal Church. This cultural diversity is seen not only in those who frequent it, but also by those giving their service in it.
St. Patrick's was opened by Cardinal Vaughan on 1st November 1897. It has since served as Waterloo's Roman Catholic Church. It was originally part of a church-school. Nowadays the Church itself is the only building the parish have. Hence the need to go upstairs to the "Upper Room" to worship. The big plaque on the front of the Church is in fact an indication of the School rather than of the Church.
The church is served by the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Conventual [OFM Conv.], whose Greyfriars' community friary is diagonally opposite the Church. This central London Church is the Spiritual home of an ethnic variety of parishioners, as well as a spiritual oasis for office workers and other commuters passing through Waterloo.