Mrs Dora M Cowton acknowledged safe receipt of Fr McCormick's material about the Travelling Mission.
RCDEA ArchivesMrs M Osborne acknowledged safe receipt of Fr McCormick's material - to be placed in the bookcase in Archive Room 1.
CorrespondentCopied onto Travelling Mission headed paper [by Fr McCormick?].
Letter from Bishop Clark to Stephen Lennane of Reepham. Explains the reasons for the closure of the Travelling Mission. Suggest that others could be of help: Sister Maeve (St Louis Convent, Bury St Edmunds) and Canon McBride who has been asked to see how the Diocese can help those in Reepham.
"... we can work our an alternative to the devoted care of Fr McCormick."
[headed notepaper for "Fox Den, Dorneywood Road, Burnham"]
Sorry to hear of Fr MvcCormick's crash - hopes insurance covers the wreckage - and that he takes proper respite and take rest here [Fox Den?]. Sends his Christmas greetings - "But please note this is my final [underlined] card, so keep for ensuing years! If I survive any!" Signed as Bishop "Emeritus"
postscript: "The Holy See ... asks retired Bishop, like me, to ignore the name of their old Diocese, as 'formerly' of it"
Signed by "David" [from Holt]
Sad situation [closure of Travelling mission?] many will be writing to the Bishop to complain - feel that the Bishop and his fellows are out of touch with the people.
Signed "Denis" (Mill Hill, London). Opening paragraph about not being able to use "father" or "master" (cites bible requirement not to).
Paragraph on the admiration expressed by him and his friends regarding Fr McComick's missionary work and for the "busilica" as described in Fr McCormick's notes.
Fr Fears has the old travelling mission altar in his garage at the Brandon Presbytery. Offering it to the RCDEA Archives.
Fears, Martin RevUnsigned/undated covering letter. Fr McCormick being aware of his mortality has pulled together notes and images about his work on the Travelling Mission. These he will send to the Archives at East Anglia and Northampton. Also, a copy for those who might remember the olden days.
McCormick, Robert L. Rev (-2015)Heart condition - Fr McCormick was in hospital for a few days following a suspect coronary, which turned out to be an erratic heartbeat.
The Administrator of The Child Protection and Welfare Society requires professional people to be paid at an appropriate level and will incur significant travel and subsistence expenses. He suggests that the Bishop should consider these issues for this post and therefore Fr McCormick submits his resignation being neither trained nor experienced in this subject area. He requests a parochial position instead.
The Bishop will be aware that there is a DHSS (Department of Health and Social Security) investigation into the Society over allegations made against members of staff.
Sending the Bishop a list of the Travelling Mission's commitments. Also has engagements for his illustrated talk on the work of the Mission. Requests reasonable notice for any changes pending.
Attached are three pages listing dates, times, venues for the TM visits.
Fr McCormick's covering letter to the Archivist for the notes and images about his work on the Travelling Mission. He will also send a copy to the Archives at East Anglia.
McCormick, Robert L. Rev (-2015)Covering letter for comments on Altar #4.
Fr McCormick is thrilled that his altar is safe. May have suffered a little wear. Manuscript details about the altar are enclosed.
Image of a bee on flowers is on reverse "One I took last year".
pg1: Photo 1 - annotations about placement and use of the altar as a whole
pg2: Photo 2 - annotations regarding the use of the drawer and setting up
pg3: Photo 3 - view inside the altar - placement of chalice, cruets, crucifix, candle stands, collection bowl, ciborium, missal stand. Altar cloths and vestments were put on the top and provided 'padding'
pg4: Photo 4 - view of altar with four people stood behind it (one a nun "in pre Vat II habit"). Fr McCormick still has the altar cloth for 'house mass' use.
photograph of the assembled portable altar within the RCDEA Archives.
Fr McCormick assesses the sketch/plan provided by Mrs Cowton and arrives at the conclusion that it is altar #4.
McCormick, Robert L. Rev (-2015)States that the altar held by the Archives cannot be #3 but it is #4. But, how did it get from Downham Market to Brandon?
McCormick, Robert L. Rev (-2015)Having spoken to Fr Fears, Fr McCormack thinks that the folding altar is his 3rd version. He wonders how it came to be in the Brandon garage. At one time he gave it to Mr Eric St John-Foti who had bought a farm, restored it ("Hermitage Hall") and opened a museum there. A while later it was all sold but Fr McCormack was not contacted about this at the time.
He is known as "Mac2" as Fr McBride is also known as "Mac".
Good news that the eye surgery date is fixed for the Bishop.
Item 3 in the Ad Clerum 7/75 - Travelling Mission (TM) - an example of why there was cynicism in the Deanery meeting, decisions are made without consultation. The small committee to discuss this matter was to have its first meeting on 18 November. The next paragraph discusses the value of the TM for small parishes in the time of a priest shortage.
The blunt statement in the Ad Clerum about the TM makes it more difficult to take future consultation seriously.
Second matter is about the doxology of the Eucharistic Prayers - how can one stop the congregation from spontaneously joining in, as they have been doing so for many years? More the spirit of the law than the letter of the law.
Off to USA for his annual holiday but hopes the Bishop won't take a rigid line on the second matter and put priests in a very embarrassing sitiuation with their congregations.
Suprise to learn from the Ad Clerum that the decision [to close the Travelling Mission] had already been taken. Copy of letter to Bishop [Grant] enclosed. "Who is going to write the book on CONSULTATION?" The other item in his letter to Charles is another prize example.
Taylor, Paul Aloysius Rev DD MA ( -2002)Mrs Dora Cowton writes. Probably not altar #3 - describes what is held in the Archives. There are not two altars but one altar and a stand. Will take a photograph.
RCDEA ArchivesMrs Dora Cowton writes. Have received the photographs and will add them to the Travelling Mission notes already held. Provides dimensions for the altar with a description. Fr Fears cannot explain how the altar came to be in Brandon. The previous priest Fr Ivan Rudkin has died; Fr Antony Philpot was PP at Bury St Edmunds and served Brandon, which was also served from Newmarket where Fr Peter Leeming was one of the priests - should she write to them?
RCDEA Archives