ST PAUL’S POST St Paul’s Province Weekly Newsletter: 133 24 June 2019

Our birthday girl this week is:

Marcella Roe 30 June

At the meeting our REPUBLIC OF IRELAND COMMITTEE were named. Seen here with Therese they are:

Maire O’Sullivan, Carmel Miley and Anne Harnett.

Sisters in the Republic of Ireland and PLT at their meeting in Dublin on 19 June

Relatives/friends of Sisters:

Marguerita’s brother, Pat;

Damian’s brother, Brendan, now seriously ill;

Anna Hainey’s brothers, Danny & Jim;

Eily May’s brothers, Tade & Jack, and her sister, Mary Philomena White;

Lorraine’s Mum, Mary;

Francis’ niece-in-law, Val McCartan;

Kathleen Doran’s niece-in-law, Kerry;

Mary Curtin’s niece, Breed;

Julie Thompson, the Briery Cook;

Alex Kelly, Cecilia Wilkinson’s nephew;

Nicky Allan, Co-Manager of Elmleigh;

Francine’s brother-in-law, Bill Knowles, & her

sister, Rita;

Michael Clyne, Brigid Murphy’s brother-in-law;

Michelle Reid, Rita McStay’s niece-in-law;

Elaine Plunkett, Keighley Associate;

Carmel Comerford’s sister, Clare;

Barbara Sexton’s brother, Denis, and his

wife, Breda, and Barbara’s sister-in-law,

Angela;

Mary McLean, Margaret Travers’ sister;

Anna Kearns, grandniece of Sr Annie McCambridge;

Maria Somers, wife of Paschal;

Sr Monica’s sister-in-law, Mary.

Our Sisters:

Cephas Wearden

Margaret Collins

Nora Horan

Regina Boland

Carmel Comerford

Mary Sloan

Maire Murphy

Marie Antonine

Agnes Marie Joy

Kathleen Kinane

Kathleen Shelly

Rita McStay

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Please pray for Gabriel Cooney who has had a fall and may need surgery!

Sr Kathleen Doran’s sister-in-law, Mary, died Sunday, 23

June RIP.

Also, Sr Annette Kelly’s sister, Maura, passed away

peacefully on 20 June RIP.

Let us remember them both in prayer, together with

their families and friends, at this sad time. May they rest

in peace.

Mosaic in the Basilica in Knock. The

Basilica is dedicated to Our Lady Queen of

Ireland.

St Patrick's Pilgrims

June 18th was a glorious summer day as we gathered in Lytham to

say our final farewell to Sr Evelyn Wilson RIP. Most of Evelyn’s

“set” were present, along with her sister Charlotte, brother

Vernon and their families. It was also good to meet Mary and

Frank Corrigan, sister and brother of Sr Anne Corrigan who had

passed away in the USA on May 3rd this year. The Wilson and

Corrigan families, both from Fleetwood, had been lifelong friends.

There were also parishioners from Fleetwood, Darlington and

Lytham, many of whom shared stories about Evelyn and other CP

Sisters who had taught them. You can imagine our surprise when

we arrived at Saltcotes cemetery and saw a wonderful crop of

Arum lilies in full bloom at the head of the grave. Evelyn always

loved fresh flowers in her room and it looks as if the Lord was

welcoming her home with these lovely flowers.

We then returned to East Holme, where Janette and the staff had

prepared a lovely buffet, which was very much appreciated.

If you would like to know more, please click on the link in the email which accompanies St Paul’s Post.

Making a Home for university students proved in fact to be far more

difficult than providing one for other young working women. Had it been

the same kind of Home there would have been no difficulty, but Reverend

Mother Aloysius Stanley and her confidante, Sister Wilfrid Carroll CP,

headmistress of Mt St Joseph Secondary School, Bolton, were anxious to

associate it with the University of Manchester. Again that would have been fine had they just

wished to provide accommodation for undergraduates in a hostel, which seemed at first sight to

be what they did envisage in naming it a Hostel; nor could there have been any objection to their

dedicating it to the Passionist student, Gabriel Possenti of the Sorrowful Virgin, who was to be

canonised on 13 May 1920.

There could have been no objection to their seeing the Mount St Joseph pupils as the main

beneficiaries of the venture, since they were conscious of their family backgrounds and of the

sacrifices parents made to enable their daughters to have a secondary-school education. Hence

the Sisters hoped that the Government Board of Education would agree to pay the students’ fees

at both the University of Manchester and, partially at least, at the Hostel itself.

The Sisters also hoped, however, that their venture would provide a much-needed supply of

Catholic secondary school teachers. A number of girls at Mt St Joseph school had already

distinguished themselves in passing Advanced Examinations, which were being introduced in

various subjects at that time. The Sisters hoped that, if they had somewhere to stay, these girls

would take the three-year courses for Honours Degrees in the University of Manchester and

would then proceed to a fourth year in that University’s Teaching Training College, in the

expectation that they would still be financed by the Government Board of Education.

Thus basing their policy on the needs of Mt St Joseph school, their aim was not simply to open a

hostel for Catholic university students but to provide a force of Catholic teaching graduates. The

problem was, of course, that Manchester University’s non-denominational teacher training

college could not teach the Catholic Faith. To surmount that problem and in keeping with the

religious tradition in their Homes, the Sisters intended to provide Catholic religious education in

the Hostel to the standard required, partly by their own lectures and partly by engaging others,

such as Jesuits from Stonyhurst.

The Bishop of Salford, His Lordship, Louis Charles Casartelli, approved their plans and the Sisters

of the Cross and Passion purchased Stone Lodge, a beautiful house standing in spacious grounds

in Victoria Park, Manchester, within easy walking distance of the University of Manchester. The

provision of Catholic lectures in religious education, however, brought the proposals into the

remit of the Catholic Educational Council, who therefore also had to sanction the venture.

By 7 January 1920 Reverend Mother Aloysius was concerned because she

had received no reply to her application to the Government Board of

Education and senior pupils in Mt St Joseph school were hoping to enter the

University of Manchester in September that year. Knowing that the

Government Board of Education had sent their application to the Catholic

Educational Council, she wondered if the Council required more definite

Part Two:—Making a Home for University Students

Stone Lodge

information on how Catholic principles about the training of teachers would be protected. She

also wanted to know the ruling of the Catholic Education Council on these points. Accordingly,

writing on Reverend Mother Aloysius’ behalf, Sister Wilfrid listed how they proposed to safeguard

the Hostel students’ Catholic faith and morals while they were attending a non-denominational

teacher training college:

The warden and staff of the Hostel would be Sisters of the Cross and Passion.

A weekly lecture on Christian Apologetics and other religious subjects would be given by a

competent priest. These lectures would be supplemented by religious instruction given by

the Sisters.

A fortnightly lecture in psychology and correlated subjects would be given by educational

experts such as the Jesuits at Stonyhurst.

The students would be encouraged to join the Society for Catholic University Students

recently formed in Manchester and would thus be kept in touch with Catholic life and

interests in Manchester.

Reverend Mother Aloysius also enlisted the help of Father G Wood of All Saints’, Barton-on-Irwell

and Father F Gonne of St Bede’s College, Manchester to investigate why there was a delay.

Father Francis Gonne replied on 21 January 1920 that he had discovered that the Catholic

Educational Council had deferred any consideration of the Hostel until they had discussed ‘the

general question of the management of Training Colleges and Hostels’. Horrified, Father Gonne

promptly wrote to the Chairman of the Catholic Training College Subcommittee and he and

Canon Holmes went to London, where they managed to have the matter transferred to that

subcommittee, of which Father Gonne was a member.

It then emerged that the authorities in the existing Catholic training colleges in Salford,

Newcastle, Liverpool and North Kensington considered that, if they agreed to Catholic students’

attending a non-denominational training college in Manchester, the Government Board of

Education would be quick to claim that, at last, Catholics were following a new policy in being

willing to relinquish the training of their own Catholic teachers to the training department of a

university. The principle at stake struck at the root of Catholic training for Catholic teachers: that

only those teachers whose whole professional teacher training had been received at a Catholic

training college could give the education that the Church looked for from Catholic schools. The

existing Catholic training colleges, therefore, respectfully and earnestly begged that those who

were actually engaged in the training of Catholic teachers should be asked for statistics and that

suggestions should be made for a solution to the pressing needs of the moment without

sacrificing the principle at stake.

Reverend Mother Aloysius and Sister Wilfrid, however, were quick to point out that post-

graduate teacher training colleges did not teach subjects: they taught graduates to teach the

subjects in which they already had university degrees. Moreover the existing Catholic training

colleges trained the teachers for elementary schools. If teachers for secondary schools had to

attend them, there would be fewer places for elementary school teachers. The Catholic

graduates in the proposed Hostel would learn how to teach in the University of Manchester

teacher training college, but they would learn what to teach from the Sisters of the Cross and

Passion and highly educated clergy. Teaching practice would be done chiefly in Catholic

secondary schools and supervised by Catholic headmistresses. The functions of a Catholic

Secondary Training College would be practically fulfilled by the Hostel. It would not be merely a

place of residence.

The members of the Catholic Training College Subcommittee and the Catholic Educational Council

were won over by the Sisters’ counter-arguments; by the very active support of Canon Holmes

and Father Gonne; and by the Sisters’ prayers, for, as Father Gonne wrote to Sister Wilfrid on 21

April 1920, “It was a surprise to everybody how the meeting completely came over to our side.

The declaration of the votes, 17 to 2, was hailed as a triumph for the assembly. It was really

wonderful and a complete answer to all your good prayers.”

Moreover, as Father Gonne told Sister Wilfrid in his letter of 29 April 1920, it was “the strong

desire of the Catholic Educational Council” that the Hostel should become a Secondary Teachers’

Training College for the North of England. They also insisted that a representative of the Catholic

Educational Council should be on the governing body and that a scheme for the proper Religious

Instruction of the students must be approved by all the Catholic bishops. With Father Gonne’s

help and his generosity in promising to give weekly classes, Reverend Mother Aloysius and Sister

Wilfrid outlined a revised schedule, adding a weekly spiritual or dogmatic instruction by a priest

and a daily half hour of Religious Instruction. They also stated that students would be prepared

for the Religious Examination for Prospective Teachers according to the Diocesan Syllabus for

Training College Students. Experienced Sisters would undertake the work and the time devoted

to it would average at least half an hour daily. Approved by Bishop Casartelli of Salford and

Father Gonne’s friend, the Bishop Elect of Brentwood, the scheme was successfully presented to

the Bishops’ Conference. Finally the proposed governing body would consist of the Bishop of

Salford; a member of the University of Manchester; a member of the Manchester Education

Committee; three or four of the Sisters of the Cross and Passion, who owned the property; the

warden, a Sister of the Cross and Passion; Rev Father Gonne, MA; and two ladies interested in

education: Miss Coogan and Miss Casartelli, the Bishop’s sister.

On 24 August 1920 Reverend Mother Aloysius and the first warden, Mother Augustine, opened St

Gabriel’s Hostel, the new home for university students, in Victoria Park, Manchester. On 5

October 1920 the first six students arrived. A seventh student, from Mt St Joseph Secondary

School, Bolton, arrived on the following day. The first Mass was celebrated on 12 October 1920.

Sister Dominic Savio Hamer CP (copyright)

A few weeks ago we walked into our Sensory garden only to see a stone slab on the grass.

Eyebrows were raised! Then a few weeks later serious building was

taking place on the stone slab until finally

there stood up a most beautiful, duck-

egg blue Summer House. Had it dropped

out of the heavens ? Not at all, it was gifted to us by an

anonymous donor. Blessings on this generous person!

A few weeks ago: THIS Later: THIS

Finally: THIS

...continued over...

We wanted an official opening but had to liaise with the weather for that to happen. Friday, June

14th looked hopeful and preparations were made for this solemn event.

The garden area was at its best and all the flowers were in full bloom, thanks to Don's constant

caring. We all came together, Sisters and staff, to be part of the moment. It began with Don

delivering a detailed explanation of all the materials which made up this thing of beauty. Then

Anna read us a nature poem and finished by cutting the ribbon and so opening the door of our

Summer House. Angela uncorked the bottles which lead us to a jolly toasting and other members

of staff helped us to celebrate and rejoice in our beautiful gift. I'm sure that we all, in our hearts,

wished abundant blessings to our unknown donor. Eily May

Our new summer house from a very kind and unknown benefactor

Anna reciting a poem in honour of our new summer house

Don making his speech, declaring the summer house open

The open summer house

The happy Community

The hard working staff

Thank you to our very kind

benefactor!