Parishoners Say Farewell in Avonmouth
The congregation at St Brendan's, Avonmouth was greatly increased for
the final Mass in this lovely church on Sunday 1 February 2004.
It was the last Sunday of January 1956 when Bishop Rudderham opened and blessed the new church which had replaced the wooden hut which had been in use since 1924; and one of the altar boys on that day was also there at the last Mass.
The Avonmouth Old Dock had been opened in 1887 and many Irish and other Catholic seamen had passed through the port. In 1924 the National Smelting Corporation built a new plant at Avonmouth and many craftsmen were transferred from Swansea, so the management arranged for a hut at the works to be used as a Mass centre. In 1946 a site was purchased in St Andrews Road where a wooden church dedicated to St Brendan, the navigator was constructed, and was blessed by Bishop Lee later that year.
Fund raising was now the priority of the mother parish of St Bernard, Shirehampton, who undertook to repay the loans received from the diocese and the Apostleship of the Sea for the building of St Brendan's, and were also helping to establish a church on the new estate being built at Lawrence Weston. Weekly bingo sessions and football pools raised thousands of pounds under the inspiration of Fathers Leahy and Norris, St Bernard’s parish priests during this period. In 1955 the wooden church at Avonmouth was dismantled and transferred to Lawrence Weston to serve as a scout hut, and the new permanent church was built at Avonmouth and blessed by Bishop Rudderham in 1956.
The altar rails depicted the church's connection with the port and St. Brendan , and Father Norman Fisher of Portsmouth diocese, whose family lived in Redland, visited the shrine in Kerry, Ireland commemorating St Brendan's voyage to America and brought back a piece of rock which was buried in the foundations. The Stations of the Cross were donated by a local businessman, Jack Smith. Father Patrick Ryan was appointed the first resident port chaplain and he was succeeded by Father Thomas Keane, who became priest in charge of St. Brendan's in 1973. Father John Yiend arrived in 1979.
The final Mass began with the hymn “Eternal Father strong to save" and was celebrated by Canon Anthony Cotter who has served St Brendan’s for over forty years, first as parish priest of St Bernard’s, then since his first retirement in 1990, as resident priest in Avonmouth. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Vincent Ryan, current parish priest of St Bernard's, and Canon Jeremiah O'Brien, a former curate there.
In his homily Canon Cotter said he had found inspiration in the readings of the day - the Beatitudes. He reminded us that the word 'Church' has two meanings: (i) the building and (ii) the people - the second being more important. He said the closing of the church was a great loss but all the people mentioned in the Beatitudes, the peacemakers, the pure in heart etc. We are the church which will go on. He thanked all those who had served the church so well over it's lifetime, mentioning many of the old, some now deceased parishioners: Mr & Mrs Jordan, Mr & Mrs McCann, Paddy O'Sullivan, Mr& Mrs Murphy and Therese, John & Agatha Daglish who tended the gardens, John & Corrie Szamocki and Dreda & Carlos Orfila.
Father Ryan recalled Captain Hobart (deceased) who had lobbied the bishop to build a permanent church and spent much time arranging for seamen to attend Mass. He also worked tirelessly to establish the Apostleship of the Sea in the parish. Fr Ryan said he realised the pain that many in the congregation were feeling today. It is never easy to move house, but as circumstances in life change it becomes necessary, With the advent of the new dock at Portbury, the decline of Avonmouth and the closure of the Smelting Works, this meant St Brendan's was no longer needed by seamen, or to serve large numbers of employees who were on shift work. He gave thanks for the gifts of the Lord, the Sacraments and the Mass which had taken place here over the years. He then read a message from Bishop Declan explaining that Canon Cotter needed to retire at last and the diocese had to make changes as congregations moved, and as there were fewer priests available.
We were then invited to chat over a cup of tea and biscuits provided by the ladies of the parish. After the blessing of St Brendan's in 1956 a celebration lunch was held at the Royal Hotel in Avonmouth and Father Ryan hoped that a similar celebration might be held somewhere later in the year to mark its closure.
Val Anglin
This article was first publsihed in the April 2004 edition of the Clifton Catholic News
Email: newspaper@cliftondiocese.com
Tel: 01249 655996
It was the last Sunday of January 1956 when Bishop Rudderham opened and blessed the new church which had replaced the wooden hut which had been in use since 1924; and one of the altar boys on that day was also there at the last Mass.
The Avonmouth Old Dock had been opened in 1887 and many Irish and other Catholic seamen had passed through the port. In 1924 the National Smelting Corporation built a new plant at Avonmouth and many craftsmen were transferred from Swansea, so the management arranged for a hut at the works to be used as a Mass centre. In 1946 a site was purchased in St Andrews Road where a wooden church dedicated to St Brendan, the navigator was constructed, and was blessed by Bishop Lee later that year.
Fund raising was now the priority of the mother parish of St Bernard, Shirehampton, who undertook to repay the loans received from the diocese and the Apostleship of the Sea for the building of St Brendan's, and were also helping to establish a church on the new estate being built at Lawrence Weston. Weekly bingo sessions and football pools raised thousands of pounds under the inspiration of Fathers Leahy and Norris, St Bernard’s parish priests during this period. In 1955 the wooden church at Avonmouth was dismantled and transferred to Lawrence Weston to serve as a scout hut, and the new permanent church was built at Avonmouth and blessed by Bishop Rudderham in 1956.
The altar rails depicted the church's connection with the port and St. Brendan , and Father Norman Fisher of Portsmouth diocese, whose family lived in Redland, visited the shrine in Kerry, Ireland commemorating St Brendan's voyage to America and brought back a piece of rock which was buried in the foundations. The Stations of the Cross were donated by a local businessman, Jack Smith. Father Patrick Ryan was appointed the first resident port chaplain and he was succeeded by Father Thomas Keane, who became priest in charge of St. Brendan's in 1973. Father John Yiend arrived in 1979.
The final Mass began with the hymn “Eternal Father strong to save" and was celebrated by Canon Anthony Cotter who has served St Brendan’s for over forty years, first as parish priest of St Bernard’s, then since his first retirement in 1990, as resident priest in Avonmouth. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Vincent Ryan, current parish priest of St Bernard's, and Canon Jeremiah O'Brien, a former curate there.
In his homily Canon Cotter said he had found inspiration in the readings of the day - the Beatitudes. He reminded us that the word 'Church' has two meanings: (i) the building and (ii) the people - the second being more important. He said the closing of the church was a great loss but all the people mentioned in the Beatitudes, the peacemakers, the pure in heart etc. We are the church which will go on. He thanked all those who had served the church so well over it's lifetime, mentioning many of the old, some now deceased parishioners: Mr & Mrs Jordan, Mr & Mrs McCann, Paddy O'Sullivan, Mr& Mrs Murphy and Therese, John & Agatha Daglish who tended the gardens, John & Corrie Szamocki and Dreda & Carlos Orfila.
Father Ryan recalled Captain Hobart (deceased) who had lobbied the bishop to build a permanent church and spent much time arranging for seamen to attend Mass. He also worked tirelessly to establish the Apostleship of the Sea in the parish. Fr Ryan said he realised the pain that many in the congregation were feeling today. It is never easy to move house, but as circumstances in life change it becomes necessary, With the advent of the new dock at Portbury, the decline of Avonmouth and the closure of the Smelting Works, this meant St Brendan's was no longer needed by seamen, or to serve large numbers of employees who were on shift work. He gave thanks for the gifts of the Lord, the Sacraments and the Mass which had taken place here over the years. He then read a message from Bishop Declan explaining that Canon Cotter needed to retire at last and the diocese had to make changes as congregations moved, and as there were fewer priests available.
We were then invited to chat over a cup of tea and biscuits provided by the ladies of the parish. After the blessing of St Brendan's in 1956 a celebration lunch was held at the Royal Hotel in Avonmouth and Father Ryan hoped that a similar celebration might be held somewhere later in the year to mark its closure.
Val Anglin
This article was first publsihed in the April 2004 edition of the Clifton Catholic News
Email: newspaper@cliftondiocese.com
Tel: 01249 655996
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