Mass of Thanksgiving for the Ursuline Community Greenwich, 7th July 2023
By Sister Beatrice Garnett
In 1877 exiled Ursulines from Dunderstadt made their home in Greenwich and set up a school to educate girls. In 1882 some of these sisters left Greenwich and travelled to Australia to establish a school in Armidale at the request of Bishop Torregiani. Those left at Greenwich were joined in 1892 by Ursulines from Gravelines. These Sisters had been exiled as a result of the violence and hostility towards religious after the Paris Commune.
How lucky Greenwich was to be able to welcome these founding Ursulines. Thus, it was with a heavy heart that the decision was made to close the Ursuline Convent at Greenwich after 146 years.
A Mass of thanksgiving was offered on the 7th July in advance of the closure, to give thanks for the presence and service by the Sisters to St Ursula’s School, the parish, and the local area.
Very suitably the Mass was celebrated in the church of Our Ladye Star of the Sea, next door to the last of various houses in Greenwich where the Sisters have lived and worked since their first arrival. The chief celebrant was our area Bishop, Philip Moger; the homily had been entrusted to a now-retired but previous ancillary Bishop of Southwark, Patrick Lynch. Abbot Hugh Allan, the vicar for religious, joined us on this special occasion. We are also most grateful to Norman and Dawn Buckle, organist and soloist, whose contributions, playing and singing, made the Mass truly one of thanksgiving and reflection. “For all that has been: Thanks, for all that will be: Yes.”
For me, someone who had been in the Greenwich community and St Ursula’s School for some years, the Mass was all that we could have desired. Beforehand, we had been subject to the inevitable worries, uncertainty over numbers, a strike affecting the school that day and so forth, but it was truly heartwarming to arrive and see a rapidly filling church including Sisters from our Province, representatives from past and present school pupils and staff together with the parish.
The Mass was beautiful; we chose the readings, prayers and hymns to give a true sense of thanksgiving and to reflect the part of our lives in the area. A comment was even made afterwards that it was a Mass in which the congregation were really participating. Father Kevin Robinson, parish priest, concelebrated. Bishop Patrick Lynch took a theme for the homily from St Angela and the document ‘Our Vision for Ursuline Schools’ this being, “not just to receive an excellent education but also to grow in faith – to ‘see with the eyes of Christ, to love with the heart of Christ and to share in the virtue of Christ’
He went on to say “…The contribution of the sisters through St. Ursula’s to Catholic education in this area has been immense. Inspired by Angela’s vision, the sisters and the staff at the school have, over the years, helped thousands of young women, not just to receive an excellent education but also to grow in faith …In this Mass of Thanksgiving we give thanks, first and foremost, for the presence and ministry of the sisters in the school and in the parish over so many years. We give thanks for the excellent education you provided for so many girls and the wonderful and practical support you gave to so many priests and parishioners in Our Ladye Star of the Sea... Thank you, sisters for your presence, your ministry and your care. Your presence here will always be remembered and always appreciated.”
After Holy Communion a reflection on St Angela’s writings was read for us by Mrs Durrant, a former Deputy Head in St Ursula’s. It concluded: “And allow God to continue to bring forth big surprises.” An extremely relevant and encouraging quote from St Angela as we prepare for our new phase of life in Ilford.
After the final blessing guests were able to join friends and colleagues for a delicious Afternoon Tea in the Clarendon Hotel at Blackheath where we all could enjoy catching up with those with whom we had shared our lives for so many worthwhile and memorable years. Although it is sad that we will be leaving Greenwich, we know that the charism of St Angela will live on through the legacy of those founding sisters and every sister that has taught, lived and contributed to Greenwich life. We thank those sisters and we thank our local community and friends for their love and support throughout the years.
