The journey begins in Much
Hadham in the 1930s, with a Roman Catholic lady of devotion
and farsightedness: Mrs. Elsie Warner. It would be correct
to describe her as the founder of the Much Hadham Roman Catholic
congregation. It was to her, in March,1938, that Colonel Hewes-Hallett
offered the use of a large room over the stable block at the
‘Lordship’ as a Mass centre. Her drive, and her
husband’s talent as a carpenter, saw this room furnished
as a Catholic chapel in a week.
And so the Catholic Mass was celebrated
in Much Hadham village in March,1938, for the first time since
the Elizabethan Reformation.
Seventeen years later, Elsie heard that
the large field - now ‘Ash Meadow’ - on which
stood a World War II Land Army girls’ hostel, was to
be auctioned. Her penchant for rapid and decisive action was
to realise a long-cherished dream.
That same day she persuaded a local retired
barrister to bid on her behalf at the following day’s
auction, and the Diocese of Westminster to pay for the field.
The money to convert the hostel buildings into a church came
from the village Catholic community, from whom Elsie had been
collecting money since 1938.
Holy Cross Church was opened for Mass in
November,1955, and served Catholics well for 27 more years.
The New Holy Cross Church
The next major stage in the journey belongs
to the late Patrick Dolan. An Irish-American of astonishing
energy, drive and determination, he realised in the late 1970s
that the ‘hostel church’ was at the end of its
structural life. He had the vision both of a splendid new
building and of the means to finance it.
Under his dynamic leadership, the Catholic
community developed an attractive housing project –
both private and local authority – on the field at Ash
Meadow, and with the money realised, began the building of
their new church in the Spring of 1982, near the ford.
St. Andrew’s and Holy
Cross
Temporary Sharing
The Anglican Rector of Much Hadham, Michael
MacAdam, is our guide along the next stage. He has always
felt a deep sorrow at the divisions within the Christian community,
and it was at his instigation that the Anglican congregation
extended their most generous offer to the Catholics (homeless
now that the hostel church had been demolished and pending
completion of their new building) to welcome the Catholics
to say their Mass at St. Andrew’s Church during this
period.
So it was that sharing began on June 6,
1982.
Permanent sharing
The year 1982 was a momentous one, and was
to become even more so.
As the two congregations, Anglican and Roman
Catholic, grew in respect and knowledge of each other, so
many of the demons spawned on both sides by the 16th Century
Reformation were laid to rest. Meanwhile, the building of
the new Holy Cross Church proceeded apace, with foundations
laid and damp course installed.
In the wider world, even more momentous
events occurred.
In May, 1982, Pope John Paul II visited
England, and in an act of immense significance, he and the
Archbishop of Canterbury prayed together in Canterbury Cathedral.
There can be little doubt that this inspired what came next
in Much Hadham.
On November 5, 1982, Patrick Dolan received
a letter from Canon MacAdam. Starting by saying that “for
me, one of the sad days of 1983 will be that on which St.
Andrew’s sees the Catholics in worship for the last
time.” He went on to urge that a way be found to make
the sharing a legally binding, equal and permanent relationship.
It is surely no accident that Canon MacAdam,
devoted to reconciliation and Christian co-operation, chose
November 5 (Guy Fawkes Day) with its origins rooted in 17th
Century religious bigotry and warfare to make this plea. Patrick
Dolan, although on the point of realising his cherished dream
of a new church building, was equally a man of vision, inspired
by the ecumenical promise of the Papal visit. He seized on
Canon MacAdam’s offer with joy.
Construction of the Catholic church was
suspended, pending the outcome of consultations and negotiations.
Catholics and Anglicans each held their own parish meetings
to air the issues involved.
In the subsequent secret ballots, both congregations
voted for a permanent sharing through joint ownership, and
the RC Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster and the Anglican
Bishop of St. Alban’s gave their blessing. Today, the
Priest’s House stands alongside what was originally
intended to be the site of the Church of The Holy Cross, in
an area of outstanding natural beauty which has been saved
from the destruction of rush hour motoring by Much Hadham’s
community spirit.
In June, 1997, Fr. Bob Styles S.J. came
to Much Hadham to be the Roman Catholic Parish Priest. His
ministry, always in busy places such as schools and university
chaplaincy, had deepened his conviction that mankind must
rediscover the strength of beauty and of reflection in silence
calmed by the rhythms of nature.
So a garden of reflection was created at
Ash Meadow, on the site of what would have been the Church
of Holy Cross. It is available to people of all faiths and
none who would seek tranquility.
St. Elizabeth’s Home and School
That a fund of goodwill between Anglicans
and Catholics exists in Much Hadham is due in no small measure
to the presence in Perry Green since the early years of the
past century of the Daughters of the Cross of St. Elizabeth’s.
They are a Catholic order of nuns whose work for women and
children suffering from epilepsy is pre-eminent in this country.
Over the years, the nuns have brought Catholics and Anglicans
of this area to a special close relationship, so laying foundations
upon which the sharing of St. Andrew’s Church could
be built.
Times of Masses at St. Elizabeth’s
are shown on the Home page.
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