Derby Community and Branch Houses

In 1849 Bishop Ullathorne invited M. Francis Bridgeman RSM, Superior of the Kinsale Convent, to undertake Catholic education in Derby, where the Community of the Holy Child Order, did not take root. The Priest of St Mary’s, Father Sing, and Honourable Lady Beaumont offered help to ensure the well-being of the Foundation. In 1849, M Evangelist Benson RSM, with five Sisters, for Derby, taking residence in the Convent recently vacated by the Holy Child sisters. There was grinding poverty and deprivation, it was decidedly ‘Mother McAuley territory’. In 1862, the sisters transferred to a smaller, residence in Bridge Gate, put at their disposal by Lady Beaumont, who reserved a small part of the house for herself. The Sisters embarked on challenging apostolates: opening an Orphanage and House of Mercy for training girls for suitable employment; organising Day and Night Schools; The Sisters also took charge of St Joseph’s School and Edwards Street School. The positive growth was balanced by signs of prejudice; extreme poverty; loss of Sisters through tuberculosis; and a surrounding atmosphere of deprivation caused by unemployment. Gradually, however, through witnessing the obvious concern of the Sisters for poor and the sick, fears were allayed, prejudice evaporated and bonds of friendship grew. The Convent School in Bridge Gate was extended in 1925 and 1939 and this school divided after World War II, the Preparatory school remained in Bridge Gate, the Senior school moved to Highfields Estate. Part of Highfields House accommodated a Community of seven Sisters, and the remainder was modified to form St Philomena’s School. Later on it was renovated and, a part of Highfields was adapted as the Diocesan Catechetical Centre. In 1986 Mercia Provincialate was established there. Responding to the request for the provision of care for sick and retired Priests of the Diocese, Ednaston Lodge, Brailsford, was purchased by the Community in 1948, and converted to St Mary’s Nursing Home for Compassionate care of sick or retired Priests, as well as other residents. In 1952, the Priest of English martyrs, Alvaston, anxious to start a Private School, approached the Bridge Gate Community. The response was positive, and the Sisters took their classes, for a few years, in some of the rooms of their little Convent, thus forming the nucleus of St. John Fisher’s Primary School which opened in the early sixties. Responsibility for yet another school, St. Edward’s in Swadlincote was accepted by the Community in 1955. To mark the Bicentenary of the birth of Mother Catherine McAuley, a new apostolate was undertaken in Beechwood – a building, containing twenty-one Warden Flats, was erected in the grounds and given the title Catherine McAuley House. A Sister is Warden, and the residents enjoy peace and security in lovely surroundings. In 1985, Mount Carmel Home for the Elderly was opened next to Highfields Convent. In 1984, the Derby Congregation joined the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy, each Convent then became a separate House. In addition to special concern for the elderly, members of the Houses are involved in a great variety of apostolates – Parish Schools, nursing in State Hospitals, parish Visiting, diocesan Catechetical Programs, Retreats, care of the Homeless and Travelling People throughout the Diocese and, for several years, a Sister was coordinator of Padley Centre (Bridge House), an ecumenical pioneer project for homeless people. The Sisters, in conjunction with the Major Superiors, are in a process of discernment regarding the future of the Convent, now far too large for the Community. The dream, shared by a Housing Association, is that permission may be obtained to use the site to provide small houses for single homeless people. Part of the dream is that a small Community will continue the Mercy presence in this historic place. [Adapted from http://www.ourladyofmercy.org.uk/whereweare/dsp-default.cfm?loadref=137, on 04 September 2013 by C Heron]