A draft notice. Note at top: “This is interesting was typed for the congregation to read.”
Aldeburgh. A presbytery has been purchased, and repairs executed, amounting in all to £900. The presbytery has been fitted up & furnished. A temporary Oratory has been fitted up & furnished. A site consisting of 6 plots of land has been purchased freehold.
A sum of £100 for the building of a Church at Aldeburgh has been found [annotation in a different hand: ”by Bp Keating!”].
A Catholic architect has been engaged, & I hope to begin the building of the Church early in 1921, to be completed & opened on the Feast of the S. Heart 1921.
A little over a year ago the Bishop wrote me concerning the approaching departure of the French Community, & whilst allowing me a little while to see what I could do to save the two missions of Aldeburgh & Leiston, which I had founded, told me that the Diocese could do nothing to help me.
In this time at Leiston a freehold site has been purchased. A Church has been erected & finished, Lighting installations have been paid for. Ornaments, Sacred vessels & Vestments have been secured. A motor cycle has been purchased by means of which I have been able to hold regular services at Leiston & visit my large district of 20 miles radius.
Anyone can read between the lines of this short review, & doubtless one will ask how has it all been done, because apart from all this there has been the up-keep of the two missions, & personal & household expenses.
Concerning the up-keep of the two missions, this has been a difficult matter for the last year but I am to be relieved of this in the future by the perfect organisation & running of an Altar Society in each Mission.
As regards other expenses, this will also be an easier mater in the future.
With all this bright & happy outlook, there is yet a stranglehold on the mission.
It may be asked I have said, how has all this good work been accomplished. Doubtless with much personal self-sacrifice, & at most times by allowing personal & household debt to stand & accumulate in order to keep the missions afloat, & supply all necessary for the continuance of the Divine Services. That is I say now a stranglehold & I am being pressed for payment, I have been requested to try & settle all by Dec 1st 1920 & in order to do this I shall need at least £100.
I present this little review to you & appeal to you to stretch out a helping hand to me. I do not come to you before my days work, but at the close, when though tired and weary, I feel happy & thank God, that He has given me the courage and strength to face the crisis, to work for Him, His Holy Church & for you all & that he has blessed & made that work prosper.
I intend to have a flag day on Sunday Nov 28th & I trust in Divine Providence & your generous Catholic hearts that you will enable me to surmount my difficulties on Dec 1st.
Praying God to bless you & yours.
I am
Yours devotedly etc.
V.D.
