AN EXTENSION AT BUCKINGHAM

The New Buildings For St. Bernardine's College
The Bishop of Northampton was at Bucliingham. on Wednesday last week, to lay the foundation-stone for the new buildings at St. Bernardine's Seraphic College. That college is exclusively for the preparation of youths who feel that they have a vocation to join the English Province of the Order of Friars Minor. The extension now being built, from piens by Mr. Wilfrid C. Mangan, comprises three new class rooms; senior and junior recreation rooms, adaptable as one large assembly hall; science rooms, dormitory, and other additions: there is also a scheme for the extension of the chapel.
The stone laid by Mgr. Youens bore in its inscription the names of the ruling Pope, King, and Bishop. The King mentioned was King George VI, and it may well be that the Buckingham function was the first stone-laying to name the new Sovereign since His Majesty's accession.
This new building marks another stage in the progress of the work begun by the Franciscan Fathers when Fr. Thaddeus Hermans, 0.F.M., was sent to the town in 1892 to negotiate for the site of the present college.
The first Mass was said in a rented cottage in Elm Street. Three years later, the college opened with eight boys, and since then progress has continued steadily. This latest structural enlargement, when completed, will give the college accommodation for a hundred boys.
The Mayor of Buckingham; Dr. Garden, Apostolic Syndic both for the Province and for the college; the architect; Mr. C. T. Cecil, the builder; and the Borough Surveyor, Mr. G. B. Chilvers, were among the large company present. The Provincial (Fr. Laurence. 0.F.M.), and many other friars attended from various houses of the Order in Great Britain.
The Bishop's Address
In the course of an address, Mgr. Youens said that the day was for him one of great rejoicing, because he was happy to hear, and to see, that the Franciscan Fathers were strengthening their work in Buckingham. Ever since his succession he had watched, with great interest, the progress which had been made by the Franciscans and it was his duty to offer to them his blessing and his thanks for the enormous good that they were accomplishing in that part of the diocese. That was a very scattered diocese and what they wanted there was a huge number of Religious who were consecrated to God.
They had there, in Buckingham, a community whose lives were consecrated to God, and they were bringing into that neighbourhood a religious atmosphere. There was a wonderful scope for their work and they could do more in (ommunity life than secular priests.
Referring to the example of St. Francis, the Bishop said that when they thought of the priests who were working in those little country parishes then thoughts were turned to Assisi. He was thankful for the Franciscan friars in his diocese. who were always most willing to go to any part of it. He prayed that Almighty God would blees them more and more.
The Social' Side
At a subsequent luncheon the Guardian, Fr. John, 0.F.M., referred to the helpfulness and kindly spirit of many visitors present that day, and in reply the Mayor, in a graceful speech, expressed the hope that the friendship started that day would ripen into a very great friendship. He knew from experience that the Franciscan Fathers in Buckingham gladly did anything for the town that they were asked to do.
Later in the day the Bishop distributed the prizes, following a concert and plays by the boys. The plays included Juniper's First Sermon, one of the "Little Plays of St. Francis.