[undated, unsigned]
Tridentine Mass Centre - Burstall Village Hall (Parish of St Mark's, Ipswich)
Mass every fourth week; celebrated by Fr Oswald Baker; approx 2 dozen attend
Dean's summary report on Aldeburgh parish. Fr Ben Hammond is happy at Aldeburgh; should address his Sunday schedule; has no financial worries. The house is well decorated and in a good state. Church has new heating being installed. Concern about influx of workers at Sizewell B (last time, for Sizewell A, this resulted in the construction of Leiston Church).
McBride, Edward Rev (1919-2011)1 paperweight; spherical; clear glass; small flat for standing; large flat with etching "Our Lady of Walsingham 1897 - 1997" plus outline of Slipper Chapel.
1 paperweight; lozenge shape; clear glass; etching on underside "Our Lady of Walsingham RAF Mildenhall UK" plus outline of Our Lady of Walsingham icon.
9 in attendance
Vice-Presidents - encouraging response
President - no reply from the Admiral; other possibilities discussed
Potential Major Donors - rather mixed response; hope from Commerce; none had objected in principle to the project
Public Launch - speaker and venue discussed
Invitation list - listing a number of potential donors (38 categories in all); members to share research
Brochure - discussed
International Connections - USA, Ireland, Italy & Turkey connections discussed
These documents were found inside CWL-12-00-2.
All three were possibly written for presentation to the church congregation at Woodbridge. Each is by a different hand.
Pg1: Speech by June Rycraft (officer in 1982) - history, experience in fundraising and donations; exhortation to join CWL Woodbridge and to provide goods for "Good As New Sale"
Pg2: No name; text similar to Pg 1
Pg3: No name; text similar to Pg 1
Page entitled "A Clarification of facts re the Southwold Mary Gordon Legacy" signed by R F P Howarth MC "I am, yours obediently in C.J." which indicates he's a clergyman.
Provided to help make the documents held in Northampton more intelligible.
Addresses of the legal organisations involved; payments associated with the will/wishes of Mr Gordon; Gates, Cope Votive candle stand all mentioned as being in the possession of Southwold mission.
Enclosures listed [not present]: 3 signature slips for Bank; 2 petitions for faculties to receive converts; letter from Gordon a/c executors; letter from solicitor Diocese Westminster; letter from Finance Board Westminster; Proof of £13 due to Mission a/c from Gordon a/c
"A parishioner fro St Mary's in Ipswich has written a book about the friendship which has grown up with villages in Cambodia through the Diocesan Building Bridges Scheme." Story continues.
Image caption "Marie-Madeleine Kenning with students in Cambodia"
Topics addressed: General Comments; Statistics; Leadership; Small Groups; Future Role of Priests; Celibate and/or married clergy; Future Role of Bishops;
Role of Women
Bishop has allowed him to see the documents relating to Beccles school. Notes that the school size is not to be reduced. Can Canon Brewer advise Fr Trafford about the vacancy and preparing the old building for its new use. Hesitates to contact Fr Trafford direct as he has not been keeping the Abbot informed, nor does the Abbot wish to interfere with the Parish Priest in his duties.
Downside AbbeyAbbot Butler thanking Fr Brewer for his help - passed the recent letter on to Fr Innes to note the last three paragraphs.
Downside AbbeyMr Took is dealing with the sale and will try to ensure that a fair price is obtained for the Sisters. The property is well placed for developers to use as the town in expanding rapidly and houses are going up quickly. Any move to get them canonically established should wait until the financials are settled appropriately. Any risk in moving to Aldeburgh will soon work out as the Sisters are courageous and work hard. Any further letters should be sent to "Metcalf's Hydro, Richmond Hill, Surrey", as the Abbot is have 3 weeks treatment for his aches and pains.
Egan, Erkenwald Abbot OSBAbbot Egan provides information in response to the Bishop's questions.
The Oblates of St Benedict are attached to his Abbey but are not religious in the strict sense of the work. They live and work within the community under a rule drawn up by the Abbot with Bishop Amigo's approval. He provides some history of the group and reports that Mgr Serafini of the Congregation of Religious in Rome supports their intent to become a proper religious group. Abbot Egan says that they a hard working and zealous and will be sorely missed by their Parish Priest. Indeed if he could find room for them in the Abbey then he would snap them up. They have no income except for that derived form the school which has 100 pupils (protestant children from Strood and Chatham). They are mortgaged to £2750 to Fooks & Arnold. Sr Scholastica is very well educated. He recommends them to the Bishop and suggests that a decision to let them go to Aldeburgh will not be regretted.
manuscript annotation: "Answered. Thanks for information."
Cannot be at the induction but Fr Clothier will represent the Abbot. An arrangement between Bishop Smith (and previously with Bishop Clark) meant they supplied the Parish priest for Beccles but for 1996 he was preparing to nominate a monk. However, the Dean indicated a wish in the parish to avoid yet another change. Thus the agreement has been extended for 5 years with Fr Simon being inducted by Bishop Smith.
Fitzgerald-Lombard, James Michael Hubert Charles Rev OSB MPhil (1941-)Temporary arrangement for Beccles. Need to withdraw Fr Michael Clothier from Beccles, earlier than planned, on 1 May. Fr Andrew will go to Beccles until Mgr Hypher can take up the appointment.
Fitzgerald-Lombard, James Michael Hubert Charles Rev OSB MPhil (1941-)Beccles: Happy for this proposal to become a firm arrangement - deal with details later. Note comment that this is still a Downside parish and need to make this clear to avoid a dip in morale. Also, to send in a holiday supply from time to time to help Mgr Hypher.
Bungay: Enquiries have been received about Fr Richard from a Curial Cardinal who may offer him a job in Rome. Suggest Fr Edward Crouzet (55, graduate of Cambridge and Fribourg, linguist, musician, counsellor) who is Chaplain at Cambridge University for 7 years, also, a Downside housemaster for many years.
Fitzgerald-Lombard, James Michael Hubert Charles Rev OSB MPhil (1941-)Offer is generous and will be considered by the Council at the end of this week.
Fitzgerald-Lombard, James Michael Hubert Charles Rev OSB MPhil (1941-)Fr Edward's [surname?] telephone call advised him of the pressure to keep Fr Simon [Blakesley] at Beccles - cf Fr Sketch's "petition" at Deanery meeting - for a number of years yet. When proposing Fr Raphael Appleby (currently in Uganda but will supply to Bungay when Edward is away) to Bungay the Abbot recalled the agreement with Bishop Clark for Downside to take up the mission after three years. However, it seems that the parishioners quite like a secular priest and may prefer a trained priest to a monk out of cloisters. What does the Bishop think? Happy to let the current situation run indefinitely.
Fitzgerald-Lombard, James Michael Hubert Charles Rev OSB MPhil (1941-)Agree with the proposal for Fr Blakesley. Fr Appleby will be going to Great Malvern from Easter 1996. No need to make changes to current arrangements but in due course these should be firmly defined in writing.
Fitzgerald-Lombard, James Michael Hubert Charles Rev OSB MPhil (1941-)Responding to Mrs Kenyon request for a chaplain. Once decided will the Bishop provide faculties?
Abbot Butler writes about the Bergholt-Monica question - the Abbess can progress Sr Monica if she thinks right. Anne Todhunter living in London now - they have taken a house for six months in Lexham Gardens - "Poor Anne! I hope it will work"
Thinks the Roman decision on the Bergholt case is very clever.
The two priests for Gillingham are just the quiet simple types Mrs Kenyon would like to have. Delight to help her out after the many kindnesses by her and the family to me over the years.