The 2003 Blaisdon Past Pupils was a most memorable and enjoyable event. The Village Hall was filled to capacity and some were eating outside in the glorious weather. One Past Pupil, Alastair Bourne, came all the way from New Zealand and we were delighted to have him with us.
The event was unique because we were privileged also to have with us Jim Richards, Director of the Catholic Children's Society (Westminster), formerly The Crusade of Rescue, and his wife. We again had some Past Pupils from St Joseph's, Enfield, who did not move on the Blaisdon. As if that wasn't special enough we also had some lady Past Pupils from St Anthony's and St Vincent's, Feltham, also Crusade of Rescue Homes at the time of St Joseph's.
It seems the Blaisdon Family is growing ever wider and all the better for it! The ladies from Feltham have invited us as their guests to their Reunion on 13 June 2004 at St Vincent's, 73 Carlisle Place, off Victoria Street in London.
Thanks to the generous donations of a few Blaisdon Past Pupils and the generous purchase of Raffle tickets at the Easter and Summer Reunions, we are delighted to say that we have made our £500.00 contribution to the GB Federation Water project for the Salesian Polytechnic in Liberia. Our thanks to all who contributed.
Michael Cox organised a get together of some of the Past Pupils who left Shrigley about 1975.
Following the sad death of Phillip Marshall (Winnie) he decided it would be nice to catch up with a few old friends from Shrigley. He set up a Yahoo web site called "Shrigley Class of 75ish" to help this and he has collected the details of about 25 old boys who left circa 73 to 77.
The get together took place over the first weekend of August 2003, and a great time was had by all!
Fr Sean Murray - a Septuagenarian!
A number of Past Pupils from Blaisdon, Bootle, Shrigley and Thornleigh joined the Bootle Community in celebrating Father Sean's 70th birthday, yesterday, at St James' Salesian House in Bootle.
It was most appropriate that so many Past Pupils took time out and made the effort to be with Father Sean, our National Delegate to the Past Pupils' Federation (GB), on his 70th Birthday. Father Gerry O'Shaughnessy, the Rector, made a short speech welcoming his visitors and gave a set of Community gifts to Father Sean. We were all treated to a real feast for this important day for a Salesian dedicated to the Past Pupils Mission.
Father Sean was emotionally touched by the whole occasion and thanked all, but especially Charlie Springett, Blaisdon President, for all the work he had put in to ensure that Father Sean's big day was appropriately celebrated."
This was a special dinner hosted by National President, Patrick Morrissey and his wife Diane, at their home in Surrey to honour the first visit to UK by the new World Delegate to Salesian Past Pupils, Father Jeronimo Monteiro.
Pat kindly invited key members of the Salesian Football Club to join this dinner and meet up with Father Jeronimo (usually shouted with a punch in the air!). Photographer still not learning his skills. Or was it Pat's beverages this time?
These are photos of the wonderful Funeral Mass for the late Bishop Harvey, OBE (RIP) which took place at Westminster Cathedral on 10 February 2003 and celebrated by His Eminence, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, concelebrated together with over 30 Bishops and more than three hundred Priests. We were privileged to have our New World Delegate, Father Jeronimo Monteiro SDB, who was visiting the UK Federation of Salesian Past Pupils, among the large group of Concelebrating Priests.
A number of Blaisdon Old Boys who were former pupils at the Crusade of Rescue Home, St Joseph's, Enfield, were privileged also to be invited by the Crusade of Rescue to attend the service as their guests. One of our number, Norman Taylor, was further privileged to be a part of the Offertory Procession. We were delighted to be able to pay our respects to a wonderful man who had done so much, as Administrator of the Crusade of Rescue, for children like ourselves. this was made possible by the kind invitation of the Crusade of Rescue. The photos outside the Cathedral include some of the Crusade of Rescue workers.
The National Council met at Battersea on 9th February 2003. We were privileged to have the Company of our New World Delegate, Father Jeronimo Monteiro SDB.
Father Jeronimo gave a short PowerPoint Presentation to the meeting. This covered the recent Documents issued by the Rector Major and his Council on matters referring to the Past Pupils and their clear and important position as a real part of the Salesian Family.
The day began with Mass in the Salesian Community Chapel in Orbel Street and after the meeting there was a chance to chat over a glass of ale... which seems to have been affecting the photographer!