Interior of mission bus showing altar and seating. Note the Stations of the Cross positioned on cupboard doors above the seating.
Northampton Travelling Mission (1948-1975)Diocese of Northampton
89 Archive Record results for Diocese of Northampton
interior of mission van showing altar and seating
Northampton Travelling Mission (1948-1975)In post-war Britain, many parts of the Northampton Diocese, having no Catholic Church or School, were considered "missionary territory" so a Travelling Mission based in Burnham was launched by Bishop Parker in 1949. This scheme had first been used by the Catholic Mission Society in 1911 and then adopted by various Dioceses in England.
Fr Anthony Hulme (later Canon Hulme), Northampton's first Travelling Missioner, used an Austin Countryman to tow a trailer which was a mobile chapel. The trailer, named St Christopher, accommodated some twenty worshippers. The van itself, without the trailer, could be used for open-air Mass by simply lowering the bottom half of the rear door which then became a platform for a small altar.
Fr McCormick joined Fr Hulme in 1959 and in 1960 he was in sole charge when Fr Hulme was sent to Bedford. Fr McCormick used a Land Rover as the van was not up to the job of 30,000 miles per annum. Neither was the trailer and it was retired when it became too decrepit. However, Fr McCormick designed and refitted a Leyland single deck bus as a mobile chapel.
The material in this collection was presented by Fr McCormick to the Diocesan Archives in both Northampton and East Anglia. His covering note [undated] stated: "With feelings of mortality I have gathered together what records remain of my seventeen years of Travelling Mission work. Unfortunately, I didn't keep everything but thought it might be a good idea to put together what survives for the Diocesan Archives of Northampton and East Anglia. I also thought that those who remember the olden days would like a copy. No doubt it could be said that I am blowing my own trumpet!"
Additional material dating from 2010 was held in box CH1 and has been incorporated into this collection.
McCormick, Robert L. Rev (-2015)Extract from Northampton Diocese Directory for 1949 - pgs 99 & 101
An explanation of the history and current practice of a Travelling Mission in the Diocese - specific reference to the first Missioner, Fr Anthony Hulme.
pg1: index
pg2-3: letter to Ransomers, signed Laurance Goulson, Master of the Guild
pg4: The Wilderness - image of rubble and scrub
pg5: Mass in the Cafe - image of priest elevating the host with a number of worshippers, crockery in the foreground (annotation: "Robert L McCormick")
pg6: The Travelling Chapel - image of Fr McCormick's converted bus (annotation: "Robert's mobile chapel")
pg7: Inside the Bus: Image of Fr McComick saying Mass (annotation: "Robert saying Mass in mobile chapel")
pg8: The Temporary Church: image of front of church with priest, ladies and children. (annotation: "St Matthew's / Barton Le Clay (Beds) 1961 / This was my record - from my first visit when there was no church to getting this was six months and then they got a permanent church"
pg9: A Church at Last - image of a church. (annotation "This is the new church at Newmarket opened in 1966")
pg10: What the priests say (6 comments from diocesan priests).
1 jug stopper
Grant, Charles Alexander Rev LCL BA (1906-1989)Text from June 1970 edition (see image):
A Dream becomes Reality
Why PACE was started
This is "PACE" the new Catholic paper for the diocese of Northampton. You may have already heard something about it in your parish and as you will see from the letter on this page the Holy Father has heard about "PACE"; The idea for it has evolved in the Administrator's mind over the past 10 years. There has been a need for better communication in the diocese and a newspaper format was thought to be the best. "PACE" it was felt should belong to the Church with all Catholics playing their part in its production.
It is to be a medium through which everybody can make their activities known, but because of its 25 localised editions people in Bedford or Northampton will not have to read the "parish pump” activities of Yarmouth or Norwich.
The activities and events organised by sodalities and parish organisations, stories written by members of the diocese, letters, queries, photographs, cartoons - all will have their place in ‘PACE’ because it is YOUR paper. The whole presentation of it except printing is done by lay people, and you are encouraged to contribute to its content
When “PACE” was devised it was thought 62 different editions would be needed but by mutual amalgamation of parishes this has been cut to 25. It will circulate in all seven counties of the diocese - Bedford, Buckingham, Cambs., Huntingdon, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk - distribution being done by the parishes. Forty thousand copies are being printed to begin with and the long term aim is for every Catholic family in the Diocese to have one.
DEDICATION IN LOURDES GROTTO
Dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes it was appropriate that the Dedication was personally placed in the Grotto at Lourdes by the Administrator.
Why “PACE” as a name? Many names were thought of and among them ‘VIATOR', suggesting the pilgrim road this paper is travelling and the road the Church travels. However, in this age of the vernacular an English name was thought better and “PACE” indicated the “healthy pace at which the Church is moving". Somebody has also suggested it is the link between the Parish and the diocese and that is what we hope it will be.
Setting the PACE for us
Printing of “PACE” is carried out by Tilbury Printers Limited on a Planeta Brilliant machine, which is the first in this country. It is the fastest sheet-fed litho offset machine in the world with a speed of 11.000 copies per hour. Illustrations are reproduced on 133 screen. Collating of pages, packing and dispatch is all done at Tilbury.
Holy Father sends His Blessing
SEGRETERIA DI STATO
N.159.634
DAL VATICANO. April 23, 1970
My Lord Bishop,
The Holy Father has learned with pleasure of the new diocesan magazine "Pace", which you plan to begin to publish shortly and he has bidden me convey his good wishes for the success of the venture.
In view of the immense power of the press, it is important that Catholics should play their full part in publishing and supporting newspapers and magazines that will conscientiously fulfil their high mission of spreading knowledge of the truth in a manner consonant with the Gospel.
Accordingly His Holiness is very happy to bestow his Apostolic Blessing on all who are collaborating with Your Lordship in the realization of this project, which he prays may be of great benefit to the Diocese of Northampton.
With my personal good wishes and regard, I am
Yours sincerely in Christ, J. Card. Villot
Welcome Note from the Bishop
I welcome PACE. In these days of increased sharing by everyone in the life of the church it is more important than ever that news of this life should be readily available. PACE with it's many local editions, will provide the news in each neighbourhood which is the first interest of those that live there, while the diocesan coverage will help the local community to look to the diocese, which is it's link with the universal church, and so avoid a narrow concern with it's own affairs exclusively. I hope to make great use of it myself as an excellent means of communication with the diocese. I express my thanks and blessing to all those who have worked so hard to make PACE the success it deserves to be.
DEDICATION
This publication is dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes and we will at all times endeavour to be worthy of such a dedication.
Diocese of Northampton Newspaper - Multiple wrap pages for each geographic area e.g. Luton, Norwich, Suffolk...
Diocese of Northampton Newspaper - one edition for whole of Diocese (Multiple wrap pages for each geographic area seems to have been discontinued)
Diocese of Northampton Newspaper - one edition for whole of Diocese (Multiple wrap pages for each geographic area seems to have been discontinued)
Diocese of Northampton Newspaper - one edition for whole of Diocese (Multiple wrap pages for each geographic area seems to have been discontinued)
Diocese of Northampton Newspaper - one edition for whole of Diocese (Multiple wrap pages for each geographic area seems to have been discontinued)
Diocese of Northampton Newspaper - one edition for whole of Diocese (Multiple wrap pages for each geographic area seems to have been discontinued)
Issues #10, #11, #12 lead with the New Diocese of East Anglia and its Bishop Alan Clark
Diocese of Northampton Newspaper - one edition for whole of Diocese (Multiple wrap pages for each geographic area seems to have been discontinued)
Pastoral Letters, Encyclicals, Ad Fratres, Ad Sorores
Bishop's OfficePg 2-6: Pastoral Letter - Second Vatican Council
Pg 7-10: Church Collections 1963 (Table with Parishes listed, headings: Peter Pence / Diocesan Schools / Holy Land / Diocesan Poor Parishes (1962)); Individual donations
Pg 2-6: Pastoral Letter - Mass Changes; Second Vatican Council; Latin not understood; New churches being built
Pg 6: Notices
Pg 7-10: Church Collections 1964 (Table with Parishes listed, headings: Peter Pence / Diocesan Schools / Holy Land / Diocesan Poor Parishes (1963)); Individual donations
Pg 2-6: Pastoral Letter - Poor and New Parish Fund; servers & readers;
Pg 7-10: Church Collections 1965 (Table with Parishes listed, headings: Peter Pence / Diocesan Schools / Holy Land / Poor and New Parish Fund (1964)); Individual donations
Pg 2-6: Pastoral Letter - Vatican Council documents; the Paschal Mystery; appeal relating to new and poor parishes
Pg 7-10: Church Collections 1966 (Table with Parishes listed, headings: Peter Pence / Diocesan Schools / Holy Land / Poor and New Parish Fund (1965)); Individual donations
Pg11: Form of Bequest
Pg 2-4: letter addressed to Canon J McShee VG, Costessey, Norwich; Addressed from English College, Rome - ordinary letter instead of a Pastoral Letter; description of the Council in St Peter's Basilica; much done in the Poor and New Parishes; Catholic population increased by over 100,000
Pg 5-8: Church Collections 1962 (Table listed by Parish, headings: Peter Pence / Diocesan Schools / Holy Land / Diocesan Poor Missions (1961)); Named Donations