Page 8, 2nd June 1939

2nd June 1939

Page 8

Page 8, 2nd June 1939 — THE WORK OF NEARLY TVO HUNDRED YEARS
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THE WORK OF NEARLY TVO HUNDRED YEARS

(Continued from Page i.)
get the whole of their Order (the Friars) to agree to the same."
Bishop's Support
The matter was fully reported to Bishop Milner. who felt himself in perfect agreement with the representations of the priest and people of St. Peter's. He made an offer to the General Chapter of the Order to confer with them concerning the transfer of the cure of St. Peter's to the Secular clergy, adding that it was his firm intention, in case they could not give up the mission, to open a chapel in some other part of the town in order to relieve the pressure at St. Peter's.
When the Chapter of Franciscans met, the Fathers declined to accept the Bishop's alternative of either transferring St. Peter's or supplying it with two priests. As a consequence, an upper warehouse was furnished and blessed for religious service. This room, which was capable of accommodating from seventy to eighty people, was situated in Water Street, about a quarter of a mile from the site of the present Cathedral. The public was made aware of its existence by means of an appeal, which is an interesting witness both of the devotion of the founders of the project and of the pious reticence which veils their promise that Masses would be offered on behalf of their benefactors.
More Was Wanted A document, dated 1806, shows that almost as soon as the new chapel in Water Street. had been opened, steps were taken to secure a larger site for a church in the same part of the town. Eight gentlemen who appended their names to the document—Ralph Baker, Joseph Palmer, Benj. Tidmarsh, Charles Grafton, John Parke, Charles Wilkes, John M, Ledsam and Thomas Powell— did not limit their energy to the composition of the appeal. Each of them subscribed £50 and £5 for their wives, while the two bachelors of the party promised an extra £5 in the event of their taking a wife. They also collected sums from all parts of England to realise their project. and the work went forward at such a pace that this new chapel was built and opened in 1808.
Dedication to St. Chad
The new building thus erected on the site of the present. Cathedral—like its more splendid successor, was dedicated to St. Chad, the Bishop of Lichfield and Apostle of Central England. From the time of the establishment of this mission, the records show that a steady progress was made by Fr. Peach and his people towards still greater achievement. Schools were built and opened a year after the chapel, a choir was established, and a Sunday school served by priests from Oscott. But Fr. Peach lived long enough to see another step taken in the direction of a ^inch more daring attempt at expansion than 'rid been ventured before.
The old chapel of St. Peter's had passed into the hands of the secular clergy, and in 1824, Fr. T. McDonnell became its pastor. He is one of the priests who have left their mark on the life of Birmingham.
Tall and commanding in figure, in speech he was ready and eloquent, and used both voice and pen for his Faith and the oppressed poor. He appeared on the political platform and made a name by engaging in a public controversy with a dieeenting minister !n Mount Zion Chapel. Dr. Wiseman considered him the best catechist in England. Ho instructed and received many converts into the Church, built schools for the children of his parish, and founded an orphan asylum. So popular was he with all classes that on two occasions, when Bishop Walsh was thinking of removing him from Birmingham, a representation was made to the Bishop on behalf of many of his Protestant fellow-townsmen, requesting that he should be allowed to remain, since it was mainly owing to him that good ••nderstere,-g and toleration had been obtained for Catholics in that town.
With Dignity . . .
Fr. McDonnell tried by all the means in his power to persuade his brethren that the time was ripe for building a large church in the centre of the town in which Catholic worship might be conducted with the dignity and splendour that is its due.
At last the general body of Catholics
met to discuss the plan. Dr. Walsh, then Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District,, presided over the assembly in St. Peter's Chapel on January 19, 1834, and Fr. McDonnell moved the resolution. which was seconded by Mr J. Hardman, " that it appears to this meeting highly desirable that a commodious and splendid Catholic church, bearing testimony to the increased and increasing liberality of our Protestant fellowcountrymen, and in some degree worthy of the dignity of Catholic worship, and of the sanctity and sublimity of the Christian Mysteries, be erected in the town of Birmingham, a town which for the numbers, the wealth and the spirit of its inhabitants is justly termed the metropolis of the Midland district."
Father Peach moved a second resolution that persons should be appointed to set on foot a collection for the object. The scheme taken up did not at first prosper, and from want of system the committee fell away and the collection was abandoned after only 1138 had been contributed.
Five years passed and nothing was done, but in 1839, Bishop Walsh decided with vigorous determination to commence a noble Gothic Cathedral on the very spot where Old St. Chad's was standing. He set to work at once. Three houses were bought for frontages towards Bath Street, and Augustus Welby Pugin was commissioned to draw up a design.
On Low Sunday, 1839, High Mass was sung for the last time in Old St. Chad's, exactly one century ago, and on the next day the roof was taken off and placed on the new poor schools, which were then approaching comple tion. These schools were used as a temporary church until the Cathedral was opened in 1841.




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