The Friends of the Holy Father - First decade
The association was founded in 1980 in response to news that the Holy See's budget deficit had plunged to below £50 millions. It was realized that there had already been an organization in Great Britain to render assistance to the Pope called the Society for the Maintenance of the Apostolic See, founded by Cardinal Bourne in 1926, but it was wound up following the ending of the Second World War. In 1980 several members of the Catholic Union came together to investigate how assistance could be offered in a small but practical way that would enable individuals to contribute directly towards the Holy Father's needs, as well as praying for him and making his teaching and the work of the Holy See better known. The title was chosen, the agreement of the hierarchy was obtained and the new organization was registered as a national charity with the Charities Commission.
Advertisements were placed in the Catholic press and it was soon up and running. The Council was set up and regular meetings took place, and have done so ever since. The first ecclesiastical adviser was Father Herbert Keldany and, following his retirement in 1982 he was succeeded by Mgr. Ralph Brown, then Vicar General of Westminster. Elections took place and the first chairman appointed was Colin Edwards, the accountant to Westminster Cathedral; the hon. Secretary was the medical practitioner Dr. Michael Straiton, vice-chairmen were the journalist Leo Simmonds, David Murphy the General secretary of the Catholic Truth Society and Count Stanislas Grocholski, a prominent member of the Polish community. Other members were Lord Craigmyle and Rosemary Rendel, the secretary of the Catholic Record Society and noted historian. Trustees included Sir Harold Hood, a philanthropist with a long associated with the Catholic Press, Henry Collins - engineer, Sir Alan Davis – Lord Mayor of London in 1986. Patrons included Miles, Duke of Norfolk, Terry Duffy – President of the Union of Engineering Workers and Sir Julian Hodge – founder of the Bank of Wales.
When an attempt was made on Pope John Paul II's life in 1982 The Friends organized an appeal in The Universe to raise the sum to cover the cost of His Holiness' hospitalization in Rome's Gemelli Clinic. The £22,500 cost was raised in six weeks, made up of hundreds of contributions, great and small, and conveyed to Rome. In that year a contribution was sent towards establishing the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies of Marriage and Family and in the following year a large photocopier was provided for use in producing the daily reports of proceedings of the Institute's first International Congress held in the Vatican.
In 1982 the President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications suffered a stroke and Pope John Paul invited Fr. Agnellus Andrew OFM, the Director of the Radio and Television Centre at Hatch End, Middlesex to take over. Father Agnellus was one of the first trustees of the Friends of the Holy Father and was consecrated Bishop in his new Vatican post. He invited six of the Council to Rome in 1982 where they were introduced to heads of different departments of the Holy See, a visit that was useful in determining the modest role that could be played in helping the Pope. When Bishop Agnellus, a shrewd Scot, learned that a private television station in Rome had folded and their equipment was up for sale, he snapped it up. He invited the FHF to contribute and we were delighted to provide the first £2000 towards setting up the new Vatican Television Centre. Bishop Agnellus retired in 1983 and was succeeded by Mgr. John Patrick Foley from Philadelphia who always greeted the Friends warmly when we visited Rome.
Also in 1982 Pope John Paul II made his historic five-day Pastoral Visit to Great Britain. The National Coordinator of this was Mgr. Ralph Brown and Colin Edwards was appointed the accountant for the Visit . The Friends played a small fund-raising part in the preparations, by assisting with a Concert at Wembley; performances of the Pope's play "the Jeweller's Shop” at the Westminster Theatre, and paid the bill for his Holiness' s medical insurance cover for the five days he was in Britain.
It became clear that electronic communications were to play a vital role in the means of spreading the Gospel Message and in 1986 the F.H.F. contributed towards a new telephone exchange at Vatican Radio's 1000-acre Transmission Centre at Santa Maria di Galeria a few miles north or Rome. During a pilgrimage to Rome at the time Friends were able to see the latest equipment for themselves.
In the following year the Pontifical Academy of Sciences wished to install computers at their meeting-place, the renaissance villa, the Casina of Pius IV, in the Vatican Gardens. The Academicians include some of the world's greatest scientists whom the Pope has invited to join the Academy solely for their international distinction in science, irrespective of nationality or religion. They advise the Holy Father on a huge variety of scientific topics of international concern. The Friends were able to offer a contribution towards the installation of their computers.
In 1988 Pope John Paul II, growing more concerned about the plight of Rome's poor sleeping rough, converted an old chapel by the wall in the south-west corner of Vatican City into a Hostel for the Homeless entrusting the running of it to Mother Theresa's Sisters of the Poor. The Friends of the Holy Father were invited to help and paid for the equipment of the kitchen. Downstairs there is a refectory where meals are served to the homeless; upstairs there is a dormitory for eighty sick ladies, some dying, who are lovingly cared for by the Sisters.
Advertisements were placed in the Catholic press and it was soon up and running. The Council was set up and regular meetings took place, and have done so ever since. The first ecclesiastical adviser was Father Herbert Keldany and, following his retirement in 1982 he was succeeded by Mgr. Ralph Brown, then Vicar General of Westminster. Elections took place and the first chairman appointed was Colin Edwards, the accountant to Westminster Cathedral; the hon. Secretary was the medical practitioner Dr. Michael Straiton, vice-chairmen were the journalist Leo Simmonds, David Murphy the General secretary of the Catholic Truth Society and Count Stanislas Grocholski, a prominent member of the Polish community. Other members were Lord Craigmyle and Rosemary Rendel, the secretary of the Catholic Record Society and noted historian. Trustees included Sir Harold Hood, a philanthropist with a long associated with the Catholic Press, Henry Collins - engineer, Sir Alan Davis – Lord Mayor of London in 1986. Patrons included Miles, Duke of Norfolk, Terry Duffy – President of the Union of Engineering Workers and Sir Julian Hodge – founder of the Bank of Wales.
When an attempt was made on Pope John Paul II's life in 1982 The Friends organized an appeal in The Universe to raise the sum to cover the cost of His Holiness' hospitalization in Rome's Gemelli Clinic. The £22,500 cost was raised in six weeks, made up of hundreds of contributions, great and small, and conveyed to Rome. In that year a contribution was sent towards establishing the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies of Marriage and Family and in the following year a large photocopier was provided for use in producing the daily reports of proceedings of the Institute's first International Congress held in the Vatican.
In 1982 the President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications suffered a stroke and Pope John Paul invited Fr. Agnellus Andrew OFM, the Director of the Radio and Television Centre at Hatch End, Middlesex to take over. Father Agnellus was one of the first trustees of the Friends of the Holy Father and was consecrated Bishop in his new Vatican post. He invited six of the Council to Rome in 1982 where they were introduced to heads of different departments of the Holy See, a visit that was useful in determining the modest role that could be played in helping the Pope. When Bishop Agnellus, a shrewd Scot, learned that a private television station in Rome had folded and their equipment was up for sale, he snapped it up. He invited the FHF to contribute and we were delighted to provide the first £2000 towards setting up the new Vatican Television Centre. Bishop Agnellus retired in 1983 and was succeeded by Mgr. John Patrick Foley from Philadelphia who always greeted the Friends warmly when we visited Rome.
Also in 1982 Pope John Paul II made his historic five-day Pastoral Visit to Great Britain. The National Coordinator of this was Mgr. Ralph Brown and Colin Edwards was appointed the accountant for the Visit . The Friends played a small fund-raising part in the preparations, by assisting with a Concert at Wembley; performances of the Pope's play "the Jeweller's Shop” at the Westminster Theatre, and paid the bill for his Holiness' s medical insurance cover for the five days he was in Britain.
It became clear that electronic communications were to play a vital role in the means of spreading the Gospel Message and in 1986 the F.H.F. contributed towards a new telephone exchange at Vatican Radio's 1000-acre Transmission Centre at Santa Maria di Galeria a few miles north or Rome. During a pilgrimage to Rome at the time Friends were able to see the latest equipment for themselves.
In the following year the Pontifical Academy of Sciences wished to install computers at their meeting-place, the renaissance villa, the Casina of Pius IV, in the Vatican Gardens. The Academicians include some of the world's greatest scientists whom the Pope has invited to join the Academy solely for their international distinction in science, irrespective of nationality or religion. They advise the Holy Father on a huge variety of scientific topics of international concern. The Friends were able to offer a contribution towards the installation of their computers.
In 1988 Pope John Paul II, growing more concerned about the plight of Rome's poor sleeping rough, converted an old chapel by the wall in the south-west corner of Vatican City into a Hostel for the Homeless entrusting the running of it to Mother Theresa's Sisters of the Poor. The Friends of the Holy Father were invited to help and paid for the equipment of the kitchen. Downstairs there is a refectory where meals are served to the homeless; upstairs there is a dormitory for eighty sick ladies, some dying, who are lovingly cared for by the Sisters.
