priest new Beda Rector

BY A STAFF REPORTER THE NEW Rector of the Pontifical Beda College, Rome, is to be Fr. Bren-, dan Travers, at present curate at St. Mary's, Swinton, Manchester, and for several years Secretary to the diocesan Ecclesiastical Education Council.
Fr. Travers has had wide practical experience in dealing with students for the priesthood. From 1966-71 he was chairman of the Manchester. and Salford Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, and he has been acting Secretary to the Salford Senate of Priests since its inception in 1967.
His other posts include that of Diocesan Censor, Editor of the Diocesan Year Book and Chaplain to the St. Ambrose Barlow Secondary School, He has also been Diocesan Representative on the Council of Christians and Jews.
Fr. Travers was born in Manchester in 1931, and was educated at Belmont Abbey School, Hereford. He studied for the priesthood at the Venerable English College, gaining his Licentiate in Philosophy and Theology at the Gregorian University.
CAPACITY He was ordained in 1955 and returned to Rome the following October for post graduate stu-. dies in Canon Law.
Bishop Holland of Salford said: "I am proud that our Holy Father, through the Sacred Congregation for Catholic. Education, has asked Salford to provide a Rector for the, Beda. Fr. Travers will be supported by the prayers and good wishes of all our priests and people,"
The Beda College was founded in 1852 by Pope Pius IX. It was intended for the /training for the priesthood of convert clergymen and older midi-dates, usually called "late vocations." First called the "Col-. legio Pio" it occupied, during its earlier years, part of the premises of the English College.
In 1917 it moved to the Via San Nicolo da Tolentino, near the Via Veneto, where it remained until 1960, when the present new Beda College building opposite St. Paul's Basilica was completed and occupied.
There are at present a capacity number of 75 resident students and staff. Another thirty, students who Live outside the college attend for lectures.
FUNCTION
The majority of the students are from the British Isles, though many have come over the years, for this special fouryear course, from all parts of the, mostly English-speaking, world. Former students include Bishop Gordon Wheeler of Leeds; Bishop Francis Hsu of Hong Kong; Archbishop David Mathew; Mgr. Alfred Gilbey; and Fr, Michael Hollings.
The function of the historic Beda may well change substantially in the last third of the twentieth century. Twenty years ago, it was considered quite "advanced" in its way of life and exemptions from many of the restrictions of other Roman Colleges.
What of the future? Fr. Travers told the CATHOLIC HERALD that he hoped the Beda's "great reputation" in England would continue. He felt that a still further increase in late vocations could well be expected.