January / February '09 News

Rt Revd Hugh Lindsay (1927-2009)

We are greatly saddened by the death of Fr Hugh, in hospital in Barrow after a fall in Boarbank on 19th January. Fr Dixie writes:

Father Hugh -Bishop Lindsay- was a most meticulous chaplain in every way. He prepared a daily homily for the Sisters' morning Mass, which he then forwarded to the Northern Cross newspaper in the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. He was blessed with a sympathetic heart, so his concern for the sick in the nursing home was spontaneous and generous. He visited them constantly. He was always in good humour, unchanging in disposition, easily approachable, a genial colleague. Best of all he had great faith and loved the Church as the community of a loving Christ. 

Fr Hugh will be remembered fondly for so many things by all the Community, patients, guests and visitors to Boarbank. We might mention in particular his fortnightly ‘Music Nights’, which were so greatly enjoyed. His devotion to Hexham and Newcastle had never wavered, and even last Easter he presided at the Holy Week liturgies in the Cathedral in order to support the diocese after their sad loss of Bishop Dunn. In recent weeks he had, of course, been delighted by the announcement of his friend Canon Seamus Cunningham as the new Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, and had shared the good news happily with all at Boarbank.

Here is an excerpt from Fr Hugh’s last sermon at Boarbank, given at the Sunday Mass the day before he died. It provides a beautiful summary of his own attitude to his vocation.

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.

Samuel 3.3-10, 19; I Corinthians 6.13-15, 17-20; John 1.35-42.

This is a family time of year; we enjoy our family celebrations and also the Church’s celebrations of Jesus’ birth, His being discovered by the Gentiles and His baptism in the River Jordan, to start his preaching.

Little Samuel’s mother, so grateful that God had given her a child in the face of the odds, gave him into life service at the Temple when he was only three. God called him when he was still a boy. He had to be instructed by Eli to reply, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’ He always did afterwards, giving himself to God completely. No wonder the psalm response is, ‘Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.’

Funeral arrangements for Fr Hugh

Fr Hugh’s body will be received into the Convent Chapel on Saturday 31st January at 6 pm and Mass will be celebrated at 10 am on Sunday 1st February. His remains will then return to St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle, for Reception and Mass at 6.30 pm. There will be a vigil of private prayer which will end with Compline at 8.30 pm. His Requiem Mass will be at 12 noon on Monday 2nd February. May he rest in peace.

Other Recent News

Christmas was celebrated with many of our regular events, including the visit of Father and Mother Christmas to the patients and to the children of Boarbank staff respectively. Flookburgh band kindly came to play carols to us on Christmas Eve, and on the afternoon of the following Sunday, Vespers for the Feast of the Holy Family was preceded by a short service of carols and poems, attended by patients and guests. The Guest House was full once more for Christmas and New Year, and a thoroughly festive atmosphere prevailed; Compline around the log fire was well attended and much appreciated as usual. We are also very grateful to Sarah and Helen for providing superb Christmas concerts of music for flute and piano both in Marymount and in Boarbank.

Mother Christmas and an elf	Christmas meal in Marymount

Lighting the Christmas pudding

We were delighted to welcome Bishop Michael to preside at Mass and have lunch with the Community on January 6th. The festive atmosphere was continued by with a Christmastide party for the community in the afternoon.

On 5th January, Fr Taylor spoke to large groups of both Catholic and non-Catholic teachers at Catholic secondary schools in Burnley and in Longridge. Fr Dixie writes: The schools wanted lectures on how to put liturgy, as a believing community commitment, as focal in their daily school assemblies. They wanted presentations on what is meant by a Catholic ethos in Catholic schools, and they want to know more about what the Scriptures say about Christ, and how this faith in Christ has been lived out in the history of the Church.

We welcomed many old friends and several new ones to a retreat for healthcare workers from 12th-17th January, on the theme ‘Body and Spirit’. The group, a balanced mix of doctors, nurses and hospital chaplains, enjoyed talks and discussions, shared and private prayer and walks during the week. For a fuller report, see the Health and Salvation page.

Wordsworth by the lake	Preparing for Compline round the fire

The Friends of St Augustine came for the weekend of 23rd to 25th January, including groups from Clare and from Carlisle, led by Fr Bernard Rolls. Nigel Bavidge ran workshops to create an up-to-date version of the Rule of St Augustine for people living outside monastic communities, and Sr Margaret gave talks on peace in Augustine’s Exposition of the Psalms and City of God. It was very good to welcome the group back, and we hope that this will become a regular event.

We said goodbye in January to Márta from Hungary, an old friend who returned to work in the Guest House over Christmas, and to Cheiko from Japan, who has been with us in the Guest House for seven months, and is going back to a job in Japan. We wish them both all the very best.

We offer our congratulations to Hannah Ayres and Paul Dean on their marriage on 24th January. It was a joyful occasion and we wish them many blessings and happiness for years to come. Hannah and her family have visited Boarbank for several years and we look forward to Paul being part of the extended family.

We are sad to announce the death of one of our longest staying residents, Mrs Nancy Massey, on Friday 9th January. Her funeral took place at Boarbank on 22nd January, with Fr Dixie as the celebrant.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Jane Howe as the Care Manager for Marymount. Jane has been working with us as a senior nurse and is well known to many. She is begining her NVQ management qualification and will take up her post fully on completion of this.

Future Events

A group of Sr Anne’s former students will be coming to Boarbank for a reunion and retreat, led by Fr Gerry Hughes S.J., on the weekend of 30th January.

There are still places for our Thinking Scripture week on St Paul, on 21st to 28th February, and for Time to Reflect, a weekend retreat for lecturers in higher education, from 6th-8th March. For more information, see the Events page. For more information, contact Sr Margaret@Boarbank.

Previous News Pages

December 2008

November 2008

October 2008

August 2008

July 2008

June 2008

May 2008

April 2008