Suttor – The Hyde - Death of Fr Dominic – Woodchester Church
Our Affairs took an unexpected turn in the beginning of 1849. The political storms had swept by and people were settling into the notion that the convictions of mistaken patriots would not interfere much with their daily avocations. John Smith of Sutton, who had begun life as a mechanic and raised himself to opulence by honesty and industry, bethought him of giving to the Lord a tithing of the worldly goods with which He blessed him.
He was guided by Dr. Wiseman to come to visit our Fathers in Aston Hall and there in his archaic style of relish make them a proposition. He offered to build a church and monastery, which were to be dedicated to St. Arne, and to make both over to us free for ever. The spot where St. Anne'sRetreat now stands was chosen by Frs. Ignatius and Dominic and it is a curious fact that although all three concerned died in places distant from each other, their bodies lie side by side in the vaults of Sutton Church.
The number of novices and native members not being sufficient for the many works and extension of usefulness now coming upon us, Fr. Dominic obtained four young priests from Rome. The accomodation provided for our community at Northfield house was very scant; and as a portion of the Woodchester new church was available for public services the Religious hired a house in its neighbourhood and removed there on the 20th March of this year.
Difficulties began to thicken in Poplar House, Hampstead. A district was allotted to our spiritual ministrations, which began at Finchley Rd. and reached out ad infinitum, or nearly so, beyond Watford. It was time to choose some central spot where the pastors could be near their thinly scattered flock and Fr. Dominic fixed upon the Hyde, a small village on the Edgeware Road, most inconveniently situated at that time for railway accommodation since the coaches had ceased to run.
On Monday, August 27th, Fr. Dominic set out from Poplar House for Woodchester where arrangements were to be made for the consecration and opening of the new church. He scrupled allowing Fr. Louis (one of those who returned from our disbanded community of Australia) to accompany him as the journey did not seem to be necessary and the spirit of poverty, forbade the expenses. A sort of inspiration prevailed and the Father accompanied him. Father Dominic seemed to be suffering intense pain from the moment they left the house.
Then they arrived at a little station of Pangbourne, just beyond Reading, he was so ill that he had to be carried to the platform. As the cholera was then raging thro' the country no one
would allow the poor dying monk into a house for shelter. On a little straw upon that lonely platform, he who sighed so much, prayed so much and laboured so hard for England’s Conversion, seemed likely to breathe his last unsolaced except by the exhortations of a brother Religious. The return train took him back to Reading where charity overcame the fears of the keeper of the Railway Hotel and moved him to afford the poor patient all the comforts in his power. There Father Dominic having left instructions about the future provisional government of the religious entrusted to his charge and disposed his spiritual concerns - temporal he had none - resigned his soul into the hands of his maker. It was a sad sight. The poor noble minded selfsacrificing missioner lying dead in a strange land, which had been the dream of his youth and the aspirations of his manhood. In 1842 he rejoiced in
setting his foot, albeit under crosses and trials, in this promised land, and now, in his 56th year, when nature seemed to promise many more of labours and toils and when sunshine began to gleam through the clouds, and when two churches were about to be opened and three houses were about to be built, when his children were increasing as their dark habit and austere life ceased to scare English aspirants from joining them - God took him.
To human ken, his was a disappointed life. The English were not to be converted like their Saxon forefathers in thousands. They had relapsed. The devil sent out of them by Augustine had come back under Cranmer and brought seven others with him worse than himself.
Tasting and prayer might cast out an ordinary devil but not the devil of apostacy. Fr. Dominic
had many small events to console him; but he looked out upon the wide waste heresy had created - the scattered shrines, the broken altars, the desecrated churches, a state church, calling itself Christian without a priest or a sacrifice - and his heart failed him. He looked into the future (for he had the gift of prophecy) and saw that of the houses he had founded, not one would shelter a single member of his Congregation, by the time his body was a few years in the tomb.
He tried each art, improved each dull delay
Allured to higher worlds and led the way.
The infant communities which had grown up under his fostering care were scarcely able to take care of themselves; but, to the one who reads the history of the Church or the records of a religious Order, nothing is so clearly shown from their pages than that no one, no matter how great or holy, is necessary. The brethren and indeed the catholic church of England, as well as his protestant neighbours paid their deep tribute of grief and honour to his memory.
The body was brought from London to Stone that very evening and laid out in the little church he himself built and in which he so often officiated. His obsequies were held in the new church at Aston Hall, which was not yet opened - and this was the first service ever held in a church hallowed by his memory. The Rev. Mr. Harkness delivered the funeral oration and the mortal remains were devoutly and sorrowfully laid in the vault, from which they were afterwards removed, first to St. Wilfrid's and secondly to Sutton where they now rest.
Fr. Dominic bequeathed the government of the brethren subject to approval from Rome to Father Ignatius Spencer. The latter was in Holland at the time and heard the news in Tournai, Belgium. He hastened home at once and the first thing he did in his new capacity was to carry out the signified will of Fr. Dominic.
On the 10th October, the beautiful church of the Annunciation, Woodchester, was consecrated according to the solemn rite of the Pontificale by the Right Rev. Dr. Hendren assisted by the Right Rev. Dr. Ullathorne. On the following day, it was opened to the public. This event and our removal from Poplar House to The Hyde concluded the changes we had to witness during this year.
The missions given were not so numerous as in the preceding years but they were more important. They were: 1 - St. Chad's, Manchester; 2 - Sardinian Chapel, London; 3 - Westminster; 4 - Bermondsey: 5 - Ince Blundell; 6 - Rochdale; 7 - St. Audeon's, Dublin; - 8 St. Maries Manchester; 9 - Sedgeley Park, retreat; 10 - Macclesfield; 11 - Handsworth, retreat; 12 - Runcorn; 13 - Nuns, Nottingham; 14 - Shrewsbury; 15 - Westminster; 16 - Hammersmith; 17 - Taunton.
Lots of these were heavy missions or which three or four Fathers were employed for the space of three weeks.
On the Westminster (Romney Terrace) our Fathers began to wear their habit in public and go around the slums and courts giving 'svegliarini' or short exhortations to backsliders. They perceived that this sort of exercise was not beneficial. As a rule, more came to our missions than can be heard and the awakening process is not at all necessary. Besides those who gape at the missioners' gestures fancy he is a methodist or some one escaped from Bedlam and the catholics do not like to see their priests so lowered by a specimen of foreign zeal.
During the Mission given at St. Audeon’s, High Street, Dublin, Fr. Dominic thought proper to introduce all the Italian ceremonies. Public peacemakers were appointed. The Fathers asked pardon from the platforms with ropes round their necks of the people first and then of one another, bells were tolled for those dead in sin and a whole lot of wonderful ceremonies made their first appearance upon our Irish missionary stage. The peacemakers made more rows than they mended – Fr. Ignatius, poor soul, was puzzled as to what he was to ask pardon for and humbly asked them all to forgive for nodding asleep occasionally in the confessional, the ropes reminded people of the public executions which used to take place at Richmond and the whole affair which in Italy has a fire effect in Ireland or any cart of these kingdoms looks very like a farce. Fr.Dominic in his visitation recommended it being
followed; but in his advice to missioners he gives a different opinion.
Our Father and Founder in these countries, passed away and his memory is still held in benediction. He started several or our customs and authorised, by his example, those secularities in which we differ from our Italian brethren. Among those may be reckoned the practice of giving the meditation on the Passion in the morning instead of in the evening after the sermon. A cool quiet meditation after an exciting discourse and 2 hours of spiritual exercises in a crowded church, would be simply an annoyance in these brisk countries, whatever it might prove among Italians more prone to exercise the mind than the body. Our people are thinking of how they may find their way home over bad roads, in rainy weather and the chance of making their confession before they start and a meditation, under such circumstances would likely he more than ordinarily full of distractions.