From Whitstable to Herne Bay
Before establishing themselves at Herne Bay, the Passionists first worked in the nearby town of Whitstable. A document held in the Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin, records: "Before Herne Bay the Passionists first worked at Whitstable. Notes on History of Whitstable." The permanent foundation at Herne Bay was the work of Fr Vincent Grogan CP, who served as Provincial of the Anglo-Hibernian Province for nine years from 1881. His obituary credits him with the foundation:
"To him we owe the foundation of the Retreat and church at Herne Bay, through our most kind and generous benefactor, and Fr. Vincent's great-friend, Mr. Broderick."
Sources: Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue, serial 12348 (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin); Obituary of Fr Vincent Grogan CP (Provincial Archive).
Rome's Approval and the Founding Finance
A catalogue entry at Mount Argus preserves a note recording the approval of the foundation and the financial arrangements that made it possible. The same entry reveals that the benefactor who funded Herne Bay simultaneously provided the funds for a Passionist church at Wareham, Dorset:
"The new retreat of the Sacred Heart is ok by Rome. There is a good house standing in 2 acres, Got the place and fixtures for £3,000 and now there will be £4,000 to build church, and £100 per year for 3 years. Wareham church for £1,000 is to be aded to above: gift of the same generous man, Denis Brodin."
Source: Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin).
The Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
The retreat at Herne Bay was known as St Mary's Retreat, and its church was dedicated under the title of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. A printed guide to the church, held in the Passionist Archives at Mount Argus, is described as follows: "Guide. Catholic Church Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Herne Bay, Kent, England." The church drew worshippers well beyond the resident Catholic population. The Cross Bulletin for 1911–12 reported the summer season:
"The influx of visitors was greater than during any previous summer, and the beautiful little church, which is such an attraction to Catholic and nonCatholic alike, was crowded at all the Masses during the past few months."
Sources: Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue, serial 4243 (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin); Cross Bulletin, Vol. II (1911–12).
A Convalescent Retreat
The seaside location of the Herne Bay retreat made it a natural place of recovery for Passionist priests exhausted by missionary work. The Cross Bulletin for 1911–12 recorded this dimension of the house's life:
"Many of the Fathers from our other houses who had been engaged in missionary work during the past year availed themselves of the health-giving air of Herne Bay, by spending a short holiday here. All returned to their work much benefited by their short visit."
Individual cases of priests sent to Herne Bay for their health are also recorded in the Cross Bulletin. Fr Edmund Hill was transferred there from Harborne: "Fr. Edmund (Hill) has been transferred from Harborne to Herne Bay, where it is hoped that the sea air will benefit his health, which of late has been far from good." On another occasion the Bulletin reported: "We regret to hear that Father Camillus is very ill at our Retreat of Herne Bay, whither he had gone for a wellearned rest…"
Source: Cross Bulletin, Vol. II (1911–12).
Fr Malachy Gavin CP: Superior, School, and War Service
Fr Malachy Gavin CP (1866–1948) served as Superior of St Mary's Retreat and made a significant contribution to the life of the parish. His obituary records that during his superiorship he supplied what had long been a felt need — an elementary school for the parish, founded without any government aid and sustained entirely by voluntary contributions. During the First World War, Fr Malachy also acted as an officiating chaplain to the troops stationed in the area, and was remembered by them for the personal interest he took in their spiritual welfare.
The archive at Mount Argus holds two press cuttings marking the jubilees of his long ministry at Herne Bay: one from a Herne Bay newspaper, titled "Catholic Rector's Jubilee — Fr. Malachy Gavin receives congratulations from Pope," and a reprint in the Westmeath Examiner under the headline "Ordination Jubilee — Fr. Malachy Gavin, C.P., receives Congratulations from Pope — A Zealous Worker at home and abroad."
Sources: Obituary of Fr Malachy Gavin CP (Provincial Archive); Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue, serials 1609, 2817 (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin).
St Philip Howard School
A new school for the parish was later opened and dedicated to St Philip Howard. A press cutting from the Herne Bay Press, held in the archive at Mount Argus, records the event with a photograph and an account of the opening ceremony. The same archive holds a Parish Bulletin recording the donation of a memorial statue of St Philip Howard to the school, given in honour of Fr Philip Hayes CP.
Sources: Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue, serials 3896, 40600 (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin).
Brother Michael Slevin CP
Brother Michael of the Immaculate Conception (Thomas Slevin, 1885–1948) was a skilled artist-brother who had undertaken decorative restoration work at several of the Province's retreats, including work at Highgate in 1925. After that assignment he came to Herne Bay, where he remained for the rest of his active life. His obituary records:
"Soon after this was finished he became one of the community at Herne Bay, and it was here that he spent the next twenty two years of his life. During much of that time he was the faithful nurse of the late Fr. Malachy… he… will long be remembered by the parishioners for his tasteful setting each year of the Christmas crib."
Source: Obituary of Brother Michael of the Immaculate Conception CP (Provincial Archive).
Fr Philip Hayes CP
Fr Philip Hayes CP (1905–1977) was ordained in 1929 and spent many years in great demand for missions, retreats, and work with lay organisations. In later life, growing ill-health compelled him to retire to Herne Bay, where he remained for the last twelve years of his life. He died there on 6 January 1977. After his death, a memorial statue of St Philip Howard was donated to the parish school in his honour.
Source: Obituary of Fr Philip Hayes CP (Provincial Archive).
The Lourdes Grotto
A shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes was erected at St Mary's Retreat by Fr Clement O'Shea CP, who served as Superior there after the Second World War. A note-card with an etching of the Lourdes Shrine is held in the archive: "A NOTE-CARD with an etching of OUR LADY OF LOURDES SHRINE, at St. Marys Retreat, HERNE BAY, Kent. (Erected by Fr. Clement O'Shea C.P.)." The grotto was subsequently blessed as a War Memorial; the programme for that ceremony of blessing is also preserved in the archive.
Sources: Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue, serials from shelf 12 and shelf 3 relating to the Herne Bay Lourdes Shrine and War Memorial (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin).
The Cause of Blessed Charles Houben: the Rogatorial Court, 1937
In 1937, Herne Bay was the setting for a Rogatorial Court as part of the Apostolic Process for the Cause of Blessed Charles Houben CP (Fr Charles of Mount Argus). Two Passionist priests at the retreat were witnesses in the Cause but were too ill to travel to Dublin for the main process. The Bishop of Southwark requested the Abbot of Ramsgate to act as his delegate and judge. The archive at Mount Argus holds the correspondence relating to these arrangements, including a letter in which the Abbot agreed:
"…letter from the Abbot of Ramsgate in which he agrees to act as the delegate for the Bishop of Southwark as judge at the Rogatorial Court in Herne Bay for the examination of two Passionists who are witnesses in the Cause of Fr. Charles."
Further letters record the arrangements for the court dates, with the Abbot proposing sessions in late March and finally agreeing to open the Rogatorial Court at Herne Bay on 20 April 1937.
Sources: Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue, serials 6389, 6390, 6391, 6392 (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin).
Stained Glass Windows and Archive Holdings
The sanctuary of the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was adorned with stained glass windows commemorating two Passionist blesseds. A document of 1992 held at Mount Argus records: "Stained Glass Windows to Bl. Dominic Barberi C.P. and Bl. Charles Houben C.P. over the Sanctury. Account of the collections from the Parishioners."
The centenary of the Passionist presence at Herne Bay was celebrated in 1989. Two documents recording the celebrations are held at Mount Argus: a short history of the parish, and an account of the centenary celebrations by Deacon James Patrick Foley, together with letters to and from the Bishop.
Sources: Irish Passionists Archives Catalogue, serials 12349, 12353, 12354 (Passionist Archives, Mount Argus, Dublin).