FATHER FRANK’S LOG: 15th -22nd JUNE 2025
We say that old age doesn’t come on its own, and that can be true, not just of people, but also of buildings. As you know, the Passionists haven’t lived in St Mungo’s Retreat at 52 Parson Stret for 10 years now, after it being home to the Congregation for 123 years. Prior to that, while the church was being built, the community lived in the old house of the Deaf and Dumb Institution in Parson Street, but it was a house very unsuited to the needs of a religious community which I suppose, in a sense, we are saying at this time with regard to our community house in Bishopbriggs, albeit for very different reasons. Plans for a new house were drawn up, fundraising was put in place, and the foundation stone was laid on the 25th of May (famous date) 1891, by Archbishop Eyre, a well-kent name to us because of Eyre Hall at the Archdiocesan Offices in Clyde Street being named after him. Some of the Passionist community were decanted to the old presbytery into which we had first moved in 1865, situated in Stanhope Street, while others found lodgings in a house in Taylor Street. Exactly 16 months later, on the 25th of September 1892, a solemn opening and blessing took place of the new Retreat with, once again, Archbishop Eyre presiding at High Mass for the occasion. So, as you can imagine, it was a very sad day when the community moved out in 2015 when the house became uninhabitable, and far too expensive to bring up to a reasonable living standard for what was then just a small community of four aging Passionists, three of whom have since died. Subsequent interest in the Retreat, of which there has been quite a lot, and which we hoped would provide us with an opportunity to move in once again to at least part of it, have so far proved fruitless, again because of the cost that would be involved.
You will remember that we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the opening and solemn dedication of the present St Mungo’s church on the 12th of September 2019, during the annual Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows at a Mass presided over by our Provincial, Father Jim Sweeney. On that occasion we had put in, amongst other things, the new floor displaying the Passionist sign at the front and at the back of the church, enhancing the work that was done on the roof and the windows almost 20 years before. Anyone coming into the church usually remarks on how beautiful it looks, and rightly so. But old age is catching up there too, and recent gas and electricity inspections have highlighted the need for a new boiler and some rewiring to be done to attain the required certificates, so that is now a financial challenge before us but, such is the beauty and significance of this church, that we will, and must, find a way forward. The same inspections highlighted similar issues with regard to the halls, which of course date from much later and don’t have the same significance, but we will look for a solution there too, so as to ensure a suitable pastoral space for the different activities that take place which help to form bonds and build community in the parish and beyond.
But, as I mentioned earlier, old age catches up on people too, and doesn’t come on its own. While I don’t consider myself in any way old, with my 74th birthday coming up in just over a week’s time. I have, for the time being at least, found myself afflicted with what is often referred to as an old man’s condition. I won’t go into gory detail, and I’m sure most of you will know only too well what I mean. For the time being it’s a bit debilitating, a bit sore, and a bit uncomfortable, but I am hoping that two appointments with a urologist on the 3rd of July, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, will serve to reverse the situation, and I’ll be back to my best. In the meantime, I will just do what has to be done as instructed by the health care professionals, and get on with practical things one day at a time. I am very grateful for all the concern that has been shown to me, which of course I’m lapping up. With our Passionist Chapter taking place next week, which I ask you to pray for, there will be no opportunity for a log, and so, I will just let this log be the last one from now until the autumn.
As ever, protect yourself, your loved ones and others, and protect Christ in your lives.
We say that old age doesn’t come on its own, and that can be true, not just of people, but also of buildings. As you know, the Passionists haven’t lived in St Mungo’s Retreat at 52 Parson Stret for 10 years now, after it being home to the Congregation for 123 years. Prior to that, while the church was being built, the community lived in the old house of the Deaf and Dumb Institution in Parson Street, but it was a house very unsuited to the needs of a religious community which I suppose, in a sense, we are saying at this time with regard to our community house in Bishopbriggs, albeit for very different reasons. Plans for a new house were drawn up, fundraising was put in place, and the foundation stone was laid on the 25th of May (famous date) 1891, by Archbishop Eyre, a well-kent name to us because of Eyre Hall at the Archdiocesan Offices in Clyde Street being named after him. Some of the Passionist community were decanted to the old presbytery into which we had first moved in 1865, situated in Stanhope Street, while others found lodgings in a house in Taylor Street. Exactly 16 months later, on the 25th of September 1892, a solemn opening and blessing took place of the new Retreat with, once again, Archbishop Eyre presiding at High Mass for the occasion. So, as you can imagine, it was a very sad day when the community moved out in 2015 when the house became uninhabitable, and far too expensive to bring up to a reasonable living standard for what was then just a small community of four aging Passionists, three of whom have since died. Subsequent interest in the Retreat, of which there has been quite a lot, and which we hoped would provide us with an opportunity to move in once again to at least part of it, have so far proved fruitless, again because of the cost that would be involved.
You will remember that we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the opening and solemn dedication of the present St Mungo’s church on the 12th of September 2019, during the annual Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows at a Mass presided over by our Provincial, Father Jim Sweeney. On that occasion we had put in, amongst other things, the new floor displaying the Passionist sign at the front and at the back of the church, enhancing the work that was done on the roof and the windows almost 20 years before. Anyone coming into the church usually remarks on how beautiful it looks, and rightly so. But old age is catching up there too, and recent gas and electricity inspections have highlighted the need for a new boiler and some rewiring to be done to attain the required certificates, so that is now a financial challenge before us but, such is the beauty and significance of this church, that we will, and must, find a way forward. The same inspections highlighted similar issues with regard to the halls, which of course date from much later and don’t have the same significance, but we will look for a solution there too, so as to ensure a suitable pastoral space for the different activities that take place which help to form bonds and build community in the parish and beyond.
But, as I mentioned earlier, old age catches up on people too, and doesn’t come on its own. While I don’t consider myself in any way old, with my 74th birthday coming up in just over a week’s time. I have, for the time being at least, found myself afflicted with what is often referred to as an old man’s condition. I won’t go into gory detail, and I’m sure most of you will know only too well what I mean. For the time being it’s a bit debilitating, a bit sore, and a bit uncomfortable, but I am hoping that two appointments with a urologist on the 3rd of July, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, will serve to reverse the situation, and I’ll be back to my best. In the meantime, I will just do what has to be done as instructed by the health care professionals, and get on with practical things one day at a time. I am very grateful for all the concern that has been shown to me, which of course I’m lapping up. With our Passionist Chapter taking place next week, which I ask you to pray for, there will be no opportunity for a log, and so, I will just let this log be the last one from now until the autumn.
As ever, protect yourself, your loved ones and others, and protect Christ in your lives.
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