PAGE
19 Choose the article you wish to read:
PAGE
19
Choose the article you wish to read:
OUR NEW SUPERIOR
By Fr J O'Donohue
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
When Father Moody received his call to the mission of Mwanza, after devoting
the first years of his priesthood to the early training of future White Fathers,
there was at hand a Father clearly qualified to succeed him. Father Fitzgerald
had already spent four years at the Priory as Director, Prefect of Discipline,
and Professor of Latin, and had shown himself to be both an excellent teacher
and a gifted educator in the broader sense. His pupils achieved outstanding
results in examinations, he had introduced the boys to a real appreciation of
classical music, and he had shown a rare combination of understanding and firmness
in discharging the delicate office of Prefect of Discipline.
To take the place of so gifted and energetic a Superior as Father Moody was
an unenviable task indeed: but Father Fitzgerald showed himself equal to it.
He accepted his appointment like a true White Father, seeing in the letter which
announced it the handwriting of Almighty God, and tackled the responsibility
of his new post with astonishing zest. Without relinquishing any of his classes
he somehow found time to execute all the tasks which now fell to him with unfailing
thoroughness, and to set on foot many new schemes concerned both with the academic
and spiritual formation of the boys entrusted above all to his care.
We who serve under him are very conscious of all that we owe him for the kind
and wise leadership he so selflessly supplies. In spite of all his cares, he
is always ready to hear any suggestions or to listen to any problem; above all
one feels that his overmastering desire is to lead all those who are under him,
whether Fathers or Brothers or boys, to an ever holier life. We are glad to
express our thanks to him, and to assure him that his boundless devotion to
his task is deeply appreciated by everyone at the Priory.
Return to top
LITURGY
AT THE PRIORY
By P.D.F. (Fr Patrick Fitzgerald?)
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
There can be few readers of these lines who have not been made aware in the
past year of new approaches to assistance at Holy Mass. The late Holy Father
was ever anxious that all present at Mass should participate actively in it
and not be mere passive onlookers. Our own Major Superiors, taking his directives
very much to heart, promptly issued their own instructions to guide us in our
endeavours to put the Pope's orders into effect.
In a junior Seminary students naturally assist at Mass daily. Being young they
cannot of themselves appreciate the greatness of what goes on at the altar.
The Mass is therefore explained to them in detail ; its prayers analysed, the
significance of its gestures pointed out to them. All these explanations are
the first step towards the goal of enabling the students to understand, pray,
and offer the Mass.
But there are inevitable difficulties bound up with the students' age, and perhaps
with the hectic atmosphere of the world in which they live. There is a sameness
in the prayers and actions of the Mass that can easily engender indifference
and make prayer exceedingly difficult. Even if young men understand, in the
measure that their years allow them, what the Mass is, it does not necessarily
follow that their assistance at Mass will be prayerful for very long. To help
them great stress has been laid on the active role that they are called upon
to play at Mass, on their real, if still remote participation in the Priesthood
of Christ with the duty of offering something of themselves, of their daily
life and routine. This has entailed explanation of the meaning of Sacrifice
and of the duty every Christian has to fill up in our flesh those things that
are wanting in the sufferings of Christ, for His Body, which is the Church.
'Such ideas and such an ideal should surely find a welcome in the minds and
hearts of young men whose ambition is to become 'an apostle and servant of Jesus
Christ.'
Even when our daily Mass is seen to involve personal offering and sacrifice,
young people still need variety in the manner of their offering and sacrifice.
That is why we have tried out several different ways of assisting actively at
daily Mass: a fully Dialogue Mass twice weekly, along the lines laid down by
Father C. Howell, s.j. (this commentary is read by one of the students)
; and on two other weekdays there is singing of hymns appropriate to the various
parts of the Mass. At all Masses the epistle and gospel have been read in English
by one of the students.
Another development has concerned the Sung Mass on Sunday, which has been brought
forward to an earlier hour, and has been made the only Mass at which the students
assist on that day, and at which they receive Holy Communion. The sermon at
this Mass contains some instruction bearing on the Priesthood, and on Sunday
Mass as the focal point of the week, from which all other activities stem and
from which they derive their meaning and unity.
This brief outline of experiments made over the past year can only tell in a
sketchy way of our attempts to make the students more conscious of the Sacred
Liturgy as a source of life, and as a living drama, in which they are actors
and around which the whole purpose of their lives as future-priests is centred.
We pray that the future will see these experiments carried further, and our
students made more aware of the dignity and responsibility of the Priesthood
to which they aspire.
Return to top
THE
QUEEN'S VISIT
By Fr J O'Donohue
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
On 8th June Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, opened
the new council offices at Winchester, The royal pair then drove to Portsmouth
to open the Guildhall, which has been splendidly restored after the sad battering
it received during the war. Bishop's Waltham lies on the road from Winchester
to Portsmouth, and so set about to prepare the village for its august visitors.
The road along which Her Majesty was to pass was decorated with flags and bunting,
as a symbol of the people's loyalty to the Crown. The boys of the Priory played
a leading part in preparing the village for the occasion, and the principal
person in local affairs paid them a handsome tribute for the substantial help
they gave.
June 8th was one of the few rainy days we have had here in the last two or three
months. The whole village, it seemed, braved the rain to turn out for the occasion,
and the Priory boys, dripping but cheerful, were conspicuous on the roadside
in the centre of the village. After many false alarms, and many facetious greetings
from the drivers of grocers' vans, coal lorries and petrol tankers, the royal
car at last arrived, with Her Majesty and the Duke clearly visible as they acknowledged
the cheers of their people.
One Father afterwards informed us that as the Queen passed him she pushed open
her window to get a better look. But Her Majesty might have simply been alarmed
at the sharp turn. The roads of Bishop's Waltham are not the result of careful
planning. They seem just to have grown that way. A series of right-angle bends
and inexplicable windings about Bishop's Waltham makes the Winchester to Portsmouth
road unpopular with motorists and explains why our village, in truth a place
of no great pretensions, is at least well known to road users in these parts,
for all traffic through it is reduced to a walking-pace. On this occasion its
peculiar road-system was an advantage, for even the royal car was obliged to
travel very slowly, thus enabling the bystanders to catch more than a glimpse
of the Queen and her husband.
We were glad of this opportunity to greet the leading members of the royal family,
and we are proud that the boys of the Priory were able to give their services
to help to mark the occasion in a fitting manner.
Return to top
HITHER
AND THITHER
ST EDWARD'S COLLEGE, TOTTERIDGE
By Patrick Shanahan (Form VI)
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
In these days of luxury coaches and dual carriageways, a distance of seventy
miles or so is a trifle ; so when the Scholasticate came to grace Totteridge
in North London the Priory was within striking distance, and on Easter Monday
it struck.
There were about two dozen boys who set out that breezy morning with two ambitions
: to witness a win for the Priory at football, and to see the Scholastics and
their life.
The first ambition was not realized. We lost the football match quite convincingly
by three goals to none. What made our defeat the more ignominious was the fact
that we had been considered firm favourites before the game. Well, the favourite
lets his backers down sometimes, and we certainly did so on Easter Monday.
Our second ambition had a much happier issue. We saw the life that soon we too,
please God, will be leading. What impressed us above all was the spirit of peace
and happiness so evident in the community we were visiting. We felt an atmosphere
of happiness and goodwill, too sincere to have been adopted for the occasion.
It gave us a most valuable insight into the lives of young men, now approaching
the priesthood, but who not so long ago were themselves, as we are now, in a
junior seminary. Although therefore as footballers we returned home considerably
chastened, we felt that as human beings our visit to Totteridge had improved
us.
But revenge is sweet, and therein lies the 'Thither' part of my story. On WhitMonday
our elder brethren came to play us at cricket, and we looked forward to making
some kind of amends for our defeat at football. Our guests arrived about midday
to begin a memorable visit.
It was memorable because that spirit we had noticed a few months before at Totteridge
was now brought to the Priory, and the whole place seemed to be lit up with
the presence of the Scholastics. Even the cricket field was changed. There was
about the play of our rivals a carefree spirit in marked contrast with our play,
which was inspired by a desperate desire to win the match. We wanted revenge,
but in fact we did not get it. After the game I spent a rather trying ten minutes
trying to explain to a French Canadian the precise nature of a draw in cricket.
At first he was of the opinion that it was unfair that victory was not given
to us : but after I had done explaining, he was convinced that if the game had
gone on longer Totteridge would have won.
At about 7.30, mente et corpore pariter refecti by Benediction and tea,
we saw our guests off. It was strange to reflect that such obviously happy men
were students who had to work hard: but then we realized that their spirit comes
from their life and their work which are dedicated to God, and who rewards them
in this wonderful way.
And so the first of the double visits was completed this year. As far as we
at the Priory were concerned, both visits were very enjoyable and most enlightening.
We cannot hope to have conferred on Totteridge the benefits the scholastics
undoubtedly conferred on us, but we can say that we made their visit to us as
pleasant as we knew how. So a tradition has been started, and Priorians, we
hope, will be able to have an annual glimpse of the life that will soon be theirs,
and so be encouraged in their vocation.
Return to top
THE PILGRIMAGE TO BURSLEDON
By Andrew Coyle (Form III)
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
Every year on 30th April, the feast of Our Lady of Africa, the Priorians make
a pilgrimage. In past years it had been the custom to go to the shrine of Our
Lady of Winton, at Winchester; this year, however, it was not possible to go
to Winchester, so it was decided that the pilgrimage should be made to Bursledon
instead, to the shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary.
The morning of 30th April dawned bright and sunny and shortly after eight o'clock
we set off. There are two roads to Bursledon from Bishop's Waltham, one a mile
or so longer than the other. Most boys went by the shorter route, through Botley.
The first few boys arrived shortly after ten and quickly converged on a small
shop which sells lemonade.
The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary was built at the beginning of the century
by a rich lady, who also paid for the upkeep of a priest, and allowed the public
to attend Mass there. Above the high altar stands the statue of Our Lady, with
the Child Jesus in her arms. On her right hand, receiving the Rosary from her,
is St Dominic, and on her left hand is St Norbert, holding a monstrance.
After Mass one of the parishioners kindly gave us the use of her garden to eat
our sandwiches in. She was a Miss Newdigate, a descendant of the Blessed
Sebastian Newdigate, a former courtier of Henry VIII's who became a Carthusian,
and was martyred in 1535.
When we had finished eating, some had to catch a bus back to play cricket, but
the rest of us walked home, enjoying to the full the beautiful Hampshire countryside.
So we arrived home, weary and footsore, but happy.
Return to top
THE
FIFTH FORM OUTING
By James Quinn (Form V).
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
In these days of space travel and subpolar jaunts, one has to do something really
outstanding in the way of travelling before it can be classed as an outing.
For this reason the Fifth Form decided to go on a Grand Tour of the South and
West of England on 16th March 1959.
We started off early while the rest of the School tried to look indifferent
as they trudged in to Morning Prayers. Our first stop was Stonehenge—everyone
knows about its huge stones standing up in the middle of a windswept moor. There
is a tale that it was once a Druid place of worship, but we didn't see any sign
of Druids—only a man who made us pay to get in and a few soldiers doing
manoeuvres nearby.
We pushed on, from ancient to medieval times, and paid a visit to the graceful
cathedral at Salisbury, where all combined to help us recapture the atmosphere
of England's Catholic past—lofty spire, shaded cloisters, and an ancient
verger looking like the Spirit of Ages Past. We tore ourselves away at last
and headed for the beautiful and venerable city of Bath.
As we drove in we had a magnificent view of the Royal Crescent and the Circus
from the Warminster Road, and then, delving now into more recent history, visited
Pulteney Street, The Crescent and Queen's Square where at different times lived
such famous figures as Dickens, Jane Austen, Doctor Livingstone, Clive (of India),
William Pitt, Wordsworth and Napoleon I I I. We saw and wondered at the old
Roman baths, with hot water supplied by nature, and the famous Pump Room. In
the Baths are to be seen traces of very early Roman architecture and a complete
human skeleton.
After visiting Bath Cathedral too, and admiring the famous fan-vaulting, we
continued on our way to the rugged beauty of the Cheddar Gorge. We felt very
small and insignificant as we followed the road which snaked down to Cheddar
village between towering limestone cliffs. We then paid a visit to the subterranean
fairyland of Gough's caves, where the guide gave us the complete treatment,
concluding with a smile which said as plainly as any words, 'Tip, please !'
We took tea on the hairpin bend on the way out of the gorge, and then proceeded
to Wells. We were able to admire the fine carving on the West front, but as
a service was in progress at the time of our visit we chose to deny ourselves
an examination of the inverted arch rather than deny our faith.
We paid a flying visit to Glastonbury Abbey on the way back, but time pressed
; we arrived back at the Priory at a respectably late hour for a class outing,
and went to bed assuring each other that it was the best outing we had ever
had. We awoke next morning and tried to convince the rest of the School also
that this was the best trip ever.
Return to top
A
DAY ON THE HAMBLE
By Peter Fredickson (Form V).
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
'We have had enough of action, and of motion we,
'Roll'd to starboard, roll'd to larboard, when the surge was seething free .
. .'
Last Whit Monday, one Father and half-a-dozen boys from the Priory decided to
spend the day on the River Hamble. This enterprising party set out shortly after
breakfast on the long trek to Botley. The four miles were covered at a good
pace and, after buying the necessary provisions for the expedition, the intrepid
group launched out into the deep, and set off downstream in two four-seater
rowingboats. They immediately came across a difficulty: a narrow pass had to
be negotiated between an overturned barge and a sandbank. To the average man,
this obstacle would have proved serious, but our team of expert rowers and steerers
made light of it ; both boats got through without mishap and forged ahead in
fine style.
The boats continued to be handled in this masterly style for the next hour,
which otherwise produced only one interesting incident. One boat had to be beached,
and the re-launching proved to be an operation of extreme difficulty. A particularly
muddy section of the bank had unfortunately been chosen for the beaching, and
the boat stuck fast.
For the first round of the contest, three of the crew piled in, while the fourth
gave the boat a shove from shore. When his exertions were making him black in
the face, a second came ashore to help. Minutes passed. Before long all four
members of the crew were straining and heaving on the bank. At last one tremendous
and concerted heave sent the boat flying away from the bank. In a surge of panic,
the four heavers leaped into the boat as it was leaving them ; in dived the
four; down went the boat once more, and lodged fast in a few inches of water
near the bank. One of the braver members of the crew removed his shoes and socks
and went overboard to push, while the other three, shouting encouraging remarks,
tried to push off with the oars. At last they were clear, and a rather wet fourth
party clambered aboard to take the remaining oar in an effort to catch up the
companion boat, now far downstream.
Things went quietly for the next hour or so. The river gradually became wider,
and other boats appeared. The wind freshened, and the water became distinctly
choppy, especially when a fast motor-boat passed nearby. Luckily both wind and
tide were with our party, and they fairly flew along. At last they decided to
land and take refreshment. The beaching operation was this time effected more
successfully, and after a while it was decided to head back upstream and find
a more pleasant and less crowded spot on the bank where they could rest.
Now came the battle upstream, against wind, tide and current. The going was
hard, and conversation ceased as the boats advanced painfully and slowly. The
toilers were not very encouraged when they saw a nearby yacht capsize
— a brave vessel
Who had no doubt some noble creature in her—
nor when at one
moment their own boats seemed about to turn turtle. I pass rapidly over this
section of the journey, which was very tedious.
When they arrived at Bursledon Bridge, our party decided to disembark and rest
the crews, and load up with fresh supplies. There, in a riverside inn, they
fell in with a group of mental patients, who were out for a walk under the superintendence
of a nurse. It was not very encouraging to overhear their talk about the boy
what was drownded', and the party took to their boats again without delay. Two
more stoppages were made along the river; these were spent in eating, sleeping,
exploring, swimming, nesting, etc. and in fact the rest of the day was spent
in general enjoyment.
On looking back on the day, I find it contained nothing very spectacular, but
water has an appeal of its own, and I hope that our little excursion has opened
up a new field of entertainment to Priorians ; for a better way of spending
a day could hardly be devised.
Return to top
NEWS
FROM ST COLUMBA'S
— FROM THE SCHOOL CAPTAIN's DIARY
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1959 — lent by
Eugene MacBride
September 17th, 1958: St Columba's re-opened for fifty-two boys.
November 30th: St Andrew's Day and feast of Father Murphy, Novice-Master of the Lay-Brothers.
The novices came over from Monteviot to spend the day with us. They beat us at football, but we were victors at basketball and table-tennis.
March: At the beginning of this month, we had a visit (and a holiday) from His Grace the Archbishop.
Bishop Msakila from Tanganyika also visited us and gave us a holiday.
May 15th: The Very Reverend Father Walsh came on Visitation.
May 31st: Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, in which we were joined by about ninety visitors from the West of Scotland.
June 3rd: Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Uganda.
We invaded Monteviot and spent a most enjoyable day there. This was our last visit to Monteviot, as the house closed on 16th June.
June 14th: Our annual pilgrimage to Dunfermline in honour of St Margaret of Scotland.