Letter 1-to his brother (1).

St. Wilfrid's, 2nd March, 1852.

My dear Brother,
All of you will be wanting to know how I am keeping, how I am finding England and how my journey went. My journey from Belgium to England went very well. A Belgian priest accompanied me as far as Dover(2) and after this I travelled alone, for the most part by train. At times I travelled along under the ground and so I found myself in complete darkness. Everything went quite well during the sailing; I did, in fact, feel a little uncomfortable, but the fact that it was raining and was quite windy has to be taken into account, and soon after the crossing I recovered completely. We have a monastery near London and I stayed there for two days.(3) From there I left for Aston Hall, staying five days in that house.(4) I then headed for St. Wilfrid's with our Rev. Father Provincial, (5) and it is in this beautiful monastery that I am to stay. (6) I have already grown used to the English climate and am beginning to speak a little English; but pray also for the poor Protestants of England that one day they will be converted to the true faith. I pray often for you all.

If you want to write to me, you will have to address the letter as follows.
Reverend Father Charles,
St. Wilfrid's n. Cheadle,
Staffordshire,
England.

Give my regards to all my other brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, the parish priest Pompers, Father Duzzings the curate, etc.
from your ever-loving brother,
Father Charles of St. Andrew, Passionist.

Letter 1-Notes

1. Positio super virtutibus, Summarium, p. 323, L.1. (Rome, 1955). This letter was probably written to
his brother Peter Joseph, who was at this time studying for the diocesan priesthood at Roermond.
2. His companion was Father Turrenius c.p. They left Holy Cross Retreat, Ere, on 16th February
1852, arriving at Dover on the 17th;
3. This was the house known as the Hyde in Cool Oak Lane (or Wood Lane), Kilburn, where the Passionists lived before moving to Highgate.
4. St. Michael's Retreat, Aston Hall, Stone, Staffordshire: this was the first Passionist house in England, founded by Blessed Dominic Barberi on 2nd February, 1842.
5. Father Eugene (Martorelli) c.p.
6. St. Wilfrid's, known today as Cotton College, was previously the home of Father Faber and his "Company of the Will of God." The monastery church was described by its architect, Pugin, as "the only perfect church in England, with an east window he could die for."