St Thomas of Canterbury & the English Martyrs
Church History
1911
CMS visit the town
In the summer of 1911, Fathers of the CMS visited the town again, this time. They held a number of meetings in the Town Hall, which were well attended.
July: CMS Royston town hall meeting
(The following was taken from The Crow printed on Friday 7th July)
“Know Popery.” This is the title of a series of lectures to be given in the Town Hall by Father Allchin, commencing on Monday next, and each evening during the week. The promoters of the lectures state that their object is to explain Catholic faith and Catholic practice. They are not coming to abuse or say unkind things about any other religion, but to tell as simply as they can what they really believe.
Father Barton-Brown comes to Royston
The success of these visits led to a decision by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Bourne, in the autumn of that year, to send one of his priests, Monsignor Barton-Brown, to Royston with the aim of establishing a mission which would lead eventually to the creation of a new parish at the northern extremity of the Archdiocese. The outlook was not exactly bright: the number of Catholics was very small, and there was neither church nor house to accommodate the priest. To remedy this situation a small house was taken which for a while served as both presbytery and church. Mass was said for the few local faithful in the passage - but only on Sundays, as the priest had to persuade a friend to come from London to act as a server, no one in his congregation having the ability to perform that office.
Father Barton-Brown persevered, however, and by the end of 1911 better provision had been made for worship - a stable in Serby Avenue was rented from a Mr Phillips though the good offices of Mr Tom Falahee. The new church was suitably furnished, and was dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, the choice of St Thomas meaning that both the patrons of the former Priory were now honoured once more. On 21st December (the feast of St Thomas the Apostle) it was formally blessed and opened.
December: New Catholic Church Opened in Royston New Catholic Church
(The following was taken from The Crow printed on Friday 22nd December)
The ceremony of Blessing the church was carried out privately in the morning by the Rev. F. Barton Brown, assisted by the Rev. F. Lieoutz of Westminster Cathedral. In the evening at 7 o’clock the opening ceremony was conducted by the Very Reverend Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, M.A., Private Chamberlain to His Holiness the Pope. After the singing of the hymn “Come Holy Ghost,” Monsignor Benson delivered an eloquent and instructive sermon, dealing with the prejudices which existed in the English mind against the Catholic Religion, he showed how the stories which were commonly told against the Faith by the majority of Christians at the present day were most of them wicked and all of them false. As a convert he appealed to his fellow countrymen to come and hear for themselves what the Catholic Church had to teach and not to condemn her on hearsay, After the service Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given by Mgr. Benson, assisted by Father Barton Brown.
(The following was taken from The Crow printed on Friday 29th December)
Catholic Children Entertained. Yesterday (Thursday) evening the children of the parents attending the Catholic Church, were entertained to tea in Victoria House School room, by Father Brown and other ladies and gentlemen. There were games, etc. and a large Christmas tree from which each child had a gift.