Maria and the Bellasis Family 18

By jeand

Wed, 22 Dec 2021
  • 730 reads
6 comments
 

 

 

  
When she has time to visit with me, I very much enjoy talking to Mother Francis Bellasis. 

I wanted to know a bit more about how the whole Society had changed with the death of Mother Cornelia Connelly.  “Was it easy to carry on after her death?”

“Not at all. We were all in a sort of  limbo. We kept doing our jobs, but no new decisions were made, and our mourning went on for many months. But in the end, the Nun that Mother had chosen herself to replace her took over. She is called Mother Angelica Croft.”

“Do you know her well?”

 

“Yes, she and I have both been in the convent almost from the start. I cannot say we are good friends but we’ve worked together for a very long time. When she was Prefect 1, I was Prefect 2 and when she became Novice Mistress 1, I become Novice Witness 2.”

“So are you the one set up to take over when she dies?”

“I would find it hard to be her understudy, as basically we had very different attitudes to Mother Cornelia. She felt that the scandal was harming to the Society and she was relieved when Cornelia died.  While I was very close to Mother Cornelia and only wished that she could have been in charge forever.”

“How are you getting on with writing the life of Mother Connelly for the purpose of getting her declared a saint?”

 

“Those sorts of things take decades if not hundreds of years before they come to pass.  I’m not the only one writing down my thoughts. All of us that knew her well were asked to provide our personal letters from her, and any thoughts that we might have about her life.  

The organisation that handles it all is called the Positio, the Sacred Organization for the Cause of Saints.  Mother Maria Joseph Buckle is mainly charged with writing about her life, along with me, so I expect between us we will cover most aspects. They also are getting letters from her to Pierce’s brother, John, who was a strong supporter of Cornelia. But much of the opposition is coming from the clergy - and certain bishops.  They accuse her of not being obedient to their authority on many occasions.``

 

“Did you ever get it decided whether or not the person in charge should rule for their lifetime, as Cornelia wished?”

 

“Yes, it was decided at chapter that there should be elections every five years, and if the person in charge wished to, they could put their name forward to continue in the post.”

“What about that business of not allowing perpetual vows?”

“I have not yet been allowed to make mine - after having been a nun for more than two decades. But some of my contemporaries have. It is still based on the idea that the nun should have the choice to quit at intervals. But personally, I want the paperwork to show the world that I have committed myself for my whole lifetime, and have no interest in a let out clause.”

“Why should it matter?”

“If your brother and my sister were told they could opt out of their marriage every five or seven years, it would make for a very odd interpretation of the idea, “Til death us do part.”

“Talking of your sister, I am invited to go down to Devon for a family wedding. I think most of Kattie’s family are taking part. Will you be going?”

“We are not encouraged to visit relatives unless for a very important reason - like if my mother were dying. But I look forward to you telling me all about it.”

“I presume your nun sisters will be under the same rules, but do your priest brothers have to avoid family gatherings too?”

“No, but I rather doubt you will see them there. But my sisters Margaret and Clare I would expect to be there, so you must get to know them.  And my brother Edward who is not in holy orders may well attend.”

“Tell me about him,” I asked.

“My eldest brother also called Edward as was our father, is also involved in titles. He is a long-serving officer of arms  at the College of Arms in London.  His heraldic career began in 1873 when he was appointed Bluemantle pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary.   This year, he was promoted to the office of Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary. He  uses the  coat of arms inherited from  father. The arms are blazoned   Argent a Chevron between three Fleurs-de-lis Azure in chief a Tent Purpure lined Gules. He is in the process of writing  a book about father."

“I never did understand what having a coat of arms was all about.” “The principal part of a system of hereditary symbols dating back to early medieval Europe, was used primarily to establish identity in battle. Arms evolved to denote family descent, adoption, alliance, property ownership, and, eventually, profession. The symbols on a coat of arms are meant to represent the achievements of the person, state, or corporation to whom or which the arms were granted.”

“That is all very interesting. Tell me about your other brothers.”

“My brother Lewis is the youngest in the family. He was educated at the Oratory school in Edgaston, which was founded by our father, and Cardinal Newman.  Among his school fellows he shone as a deadly bowler in the Cricket XI. He was a wizard with a ball, not only on the cricket field but also on a billiard table, as the players in the Little Oratory Recreation Rooms soon learned. And now he is becoming  an expert croquet player. 

“It was not only balls that Fr. Louis  could handle but birds as well. He has a tame jackdaw and a magpie wandering about the grounds. When the former got old and rheumaticky (or the jackdaw equivalent) he would stand on the edge of a grass bank outside the Oratory house half asleep and the mischievous magpie would steal up behind him and give him a push, making him roll down the bank. 

“Like my other brother Richard, Fr. Louis is a musician of more than average ability, and as a boy helped in the small orchestra run by the priests – he played ‘cello. But if he had a deadly eye at cricket it was far deadlier in church ceremonies – he became perpetual Master of Ceremonies with all the problems that involved. Dr Newman being made a Cardinal recently provided a wide ceremonial field and it may be said that Fr Louis in directing affairs was stern and merciless!

“He is of great service to my other priest brother, Fr. Richard, helping in his great work of making and ordering the Newman archives. He is also responsible for the Ceremonies and under his still exacting direction our ceremonial reached an exceptionally high standard. He takes endless trouble rehearsing servers and indeed the Fathers also – especially for special occasions like Pontifical High Mass. 

“Our sister Clare and Edward  have taken  a house opposite the Oratory – known to disrespectful young people as the ‘Bellaseum’, and across the road Fr Richard and Fr Louis  go for an hour or so most  afternoons.

 “Rev Richard became a barrister first, then he was the superior of Birmingham Oratory and a founder member. He has always worked closely with Cardinal Newman. 

“My brother  Edward sponsored the restoration of the organ at St Etheldreda church.”

 

“Is that one just around the corner?”

 

 

“St Etheldreda’s Church is an  ancient gem, a spiritual sanctuary of the Middle Ages, a haven of peace and tranquillity. It was the town chapel of the Bishops of Ely from about 1250 to 1570. It is the oldest Catholic church in England and one of only two remaining buildings in London from the reign of Edward I. It was once one of the most influential places in London with a palace of vast grounds. It was like an independent state, the Bishop of Ely’s place in London or Ely Place as it is now called, and it's chapel took its name from one of England’s most popular saints of the day, Etheldreda.”

 

“I've never heard of her.”

“Princess Etheldreda, daughter of King Anna, a prominent member of the ruling family of the Kingdom of East Anglia, was born in 630. She wanted to be a nun but agreed to a political marriage with a neighbouring King, Egfrith, on condition that she could remain a virgin. When the King tried to break the agreement, she fled back to Ely, where, as well as founding a religious community, she also built a magnificent church on the ruins of one founded by the efforts of St Augustine himself but laid waste by war.

“Etheldreda was quite a revolutionary. She set free all the bondsmen on her lands and for seven years led a life of exemplary austerity. After her death in 679, devotion to her spread rapidly, as people received help and favours through what they were convinced was her powerful intercession in Heaven.”

“Someone told me that Charles Dickens based some of his stories in that sort of area.” 

“That is true. For Charles Dickens, the slum areas surrounding St Etheldreda’s and Ely Place became the very heart of the quarter he made his own. Ely’s former fields of saffron had been turned into the city’s most atrocious slums. It was to Saffron Hill that Dickens had the Artful Dodger take Oliver Twist and it was nearby that he sited the infamous Fagan’s Den and Thieves’ Kitchen. It was to Ely Place that David Copperfield went to visit Agnes, the woman he loved, at the house of Mr Waterbrook. A “gloomy street” was how Dickens described Little Britain as the location for Mr Jagger’s office in Great Expectations. Bleeding Heart Yard is also featured in Little Dorrit. The Yard takes its name from one of Sir Christopher Hatton’s descendants. Lady Elisabeth Hatton, so legend has it, was found brutally murdered with her heart torn from her still pumping blood.”

“But that is all changing now, is it?”

“The condition of St Etheldreda’s continued to deteriorate. The pitiful state of its surviving fabric was lamented by Cardinal Manning , and when it was found that the ruins of St. Ethelreda was being put up for auction in 1873  Father Lockhart won,  and   the process of restoration began.

“John Francis Bentley, the architect of Westminster Cathedral, designed the magnificent choir screen with its wrought iron grilles and gate. The screen incorporates a confessional, the organ and a choir gallery.

“Five years after the auction, Father Lockhart completed the restoration of the Upper Church and on June 23rd 1878 Solemn High Mass was celebrated for the first time for over 200 years. St Etheldreda’s was soon a thriving community. Father Lockhart now keeps open house.”

“I must go and see it for myself.”

 

 

Certificate U
Biography
Historical Fiction

Comments

Submitted by marandina on

A comprehensive update including family history and featuring Charles Dickens. The text has come out in different sizes - just wondered if that was what was intended.

Merry Christmas to you and your family, Jean. Paul

 

Submitted by jeand on

Thanks Paul

The different size fonts are me being lazy. I should have edited before I posted it, but forgot. 

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Interesting about coats-of-arms, and places mentioned by Charles Dickens. And the jackdaw!

Do you know whether the slum areas around the church were changing at all by then when the church building was being renovated?.

I can understand men wanting to be particular about ceremonies if you're going to have them, though on the whole they can seem a distraction to the important things! As you know I'm baffled by the defining of 'saint' so different to scripture where Paul writes to 'the saints in Christ Jesus at Philipi' etc, as all believers 'written in the Lamb's book of life', forgiven, counted just by faith.

You seem to have lots of research reservoirs to tap, and more to come. Must take a lot of work! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Thanks Rhiannon

I think the restoration of that area had happened perhaps 5-10 years before my story, which is about 1883 at this stage. 

I'm not all that fond of ceremonials etc, but it is a big part of the higher levels of the Catholic church. And I couldn't find out much more of interest about Richard to put in. 

 

Jean Day

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jean,

I was fascinated by the Charles Dickens entry, so much detail of the surrounding area he based his books on. The bit about the Magpie was interesting too, they are such cheeky birds and always remind me of naughty children, though they are still impressive like the Jackdaw, who I can imagine would be fun to tame.

Again I found all your hard work so worthy of admiration for the hours you put in searching for information.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by jeand on

Thanks Jenny

Charles Dickens was a good friend of her father's and they wrote each other and visited each other several times.  Central London is so compact that the rich and poor were pretty close together in those days.

 

Jean Day