Celebrations

Novena of Hope

Passionists Institute

15th August 2006

Fr. Paul Mary C.P.
First Rector

Thanksgiving Mass

Archbishop's Homily

Past Students'
Meeting

 

Jubilee Mass 15th August 2006

The actual date for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the celebration of the First Mass in Mount Argus was the 15th August 2006 - Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady. On that day this year Fr. Kenneth Brady celebrated the 10.00 a.m. Mass in the Church of St. Paul of the Cross with the usual local people attending.

At the Mass he used the Gold Chalice used in the First Mass 150 years ago. The Chalice had been presented to Fr. Vincent Grotti C.P. in 1852 (inscription on the bottom of the Chalice). Down through the years the chalice was used on a daily basis. Blessed Charles and all the priests assigned to Mount Argus over the years would have used it at various times. In 1993 the Chalice was placed in the Blessed Charles Museum where it remained until the present celebrations.

This year the chalice, made of Stirling silver and gold plated, was cleaned by conservation experts. It has been used at the various celebrations for the 150th Anniversary. When not in use it is displayed in the 150th Celebration Exhibition.

It was all a far cry from the First Mass 150 years ago. That was celebrated in the front parlour of the Mount Argus farmhouse just purchased by the Passionist Superior, Fr. Vincent Grotti. Fr. Vincent had spent a few years searching for a house to buy in Ireland. One day in 1855 he, with Fr. Ignatius Spencer, were in search of Cardinal Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin, and arrived in Rathmines seeking the Vicar General. There, by chance they met Fr. Mathew Collier, a curate in Rathmines. Educated in Rome Fr. Matthew knew the Passionists and inquired why they had not a house in Ireland. 'We are looking for one', replied Fr. Vincent. 'I know where there is one available', and he brought them to the farmhouse at Mount Argus and the rest is history.

Once the house was bought Fr. Vincent needed a Rector and he decided on Fr. Paul Mary Pakenham C.P. who at the time was in Rome in charge of students. Fr. Paul Mary arrived back in London on July 1st 1856.

Fr. Paul Mary took possession of the house at Mount Argus and it was he who celebrated the first Mass there on the Feast of the Assumption, 15th August 1856. At the time he had been staying for a while with Mr. Terence Dolan, 31 Mount Pleasant Sq., Rathmines.