Final Mass at
St Bernadette’s
Chapel of Ease
Sneinton Dale
Sunday 26th February 2017
Principal Celebrant;
The Right Reverend Patrick McKinney
Bishop of Nottingham
Parish Priest;
Fr. Joe Wheat
Sacred Heart of Jesus - - We place our trust in you
St Bernadette - - Pray for us
Welcome to this commemorative booklet marking the closure of St
Bernadette’s Chapel of Ease.
Here you will find the order of Mass, many photographs of our time
here at the school and Chapel and some of the history of the site.
The prayers chosen for the final Mass speak of us giving thanks to God.
Although this will be for many people a sad occasion, we have much to
give God thanks for; all the pupils and staff who passed through the
doors of St Bernadette’s School; everyone who has worshipped here
each weekend both in the main school building and for the past 30 years
in our dedicated Chapel; all those who have been baptised here,
received the Eucharist for the first time in this Chapel, been buried from
here, gathered to pray ....... and quite apart from the prayer life that this
place has seen, some of the pictures in the booklet will remind you of the
social life of the parish that for a long time was centred on St
Bernadette’s; the youth club that met here, the Christmas parties, Italian
celebrations, sharing a cuppa after Mass (and playing Table Tennis to
varying degrees of success!). There is much to thank God for.
Our readings for Mass are simply those given for this weekend, but they
encourage us to reflect on God’s faithful love for us; that with Christ at
the centre of our lives, we need not fear. Trust in God’s providence will
help us to face the future.
Our second reading, from 1 Corinthians, maybe gives us a challenge; be
stewards of our faith and the mysteries of God. The Church’s mission in
Sneinton is our task – to know God and to make God known through
the building of His kingdom. We have a unique opportunity to do
something special; build a partnership with St Christopher’s and unite
in ensuring that the Gospel is preached and lived in our area.
Trusting in God, with Christ as our strength and salvation, we enter into
a new chapter of the life of the Catholic Church in Sneinton with
confidence.
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Entrance Hymn
883; Christ be our Light
Welcome and Greeting
Bishop Patrick; In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit
All;
Amen
Bishop Patrick; Peace be with you.
All;
And with your spirit.
Sprinkling Rite
Bishop Patrick; Dear friends, this water will be used to remind us of
our baptism. Let us ask God to bless it and keep us
faithful to the Spirit he has given us.
All;
God our Father, your gift of water brings life and
freshness to the earth; it washes away our sins and
brings us eternal life. We ask you
now to bless + this water, and to
give us your protection on this
day which you have made your
own. Renew the living spring of
your life within us and protect us
in spirit and body, that we may
be free from sin and come into
your presence to receive your gift of salvation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Bishop Patrick will move through the Chapel sprinkling everyone.
Concluding prayer
Bishop Patrick; May almighty God cleanse us of our sins and, through
the Eucharist we celebrate, make us worthy to sit at his
table in his heavenly kingdom. We ask this through
Christ our Lord
All;
Amen
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Gloria
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Opening prayer
To which we respond
All;
Amen
First reading
Isaiah 49; 14 – 15; I will never forget you
Reader;
All;
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Psalm
Psalm 61
Response;
In God alone is my soul at rest
Second reading
1 Corinthians 4; 1 – 15; be a steward of God’s mysteries.
Reader;
All;
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
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Gospel acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia
Gospel
Matthew 6; 24 – 34; do not worry about tomorrow
Fr Joe;
All;
Fr Joe;
All;
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Glory to you Lord.
At the end of the Gospel
Fr Joe;
The Gospel of the Lord
All;
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Please remain standing until Fr Joe has taken the
Book of the Gospel to Bishop Patrick to kiss.
Homily
Bishop Patrick
Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven, (bow during the next two lines)
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and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen
Intercessions
The response to each prayer;
Reader;
Lord, in your mercy
All;
Hear our prayer
Offertory Hymn
608; Take my hands
Eucharistic Prayer
The prayer will be one for special occasions;
‘God guides His Church along the way of Salvation’
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Holy Holy
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Memorial Acclamation
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Communion Hymns
720; Be still for the presence of the Lord
627; This is my body
If, for any reason, you do not wish to, or are unable to receive Holy
Communion, do feel free to come forward for a blessing. As you approach the
altar, just place an arm across your chest to indicate you want to receive a
blessing rather than Holy Communion.
Prayer after communion
To which we respond
All;
Amen
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As part of our final prayers, Bishop Patrick will move to different places around
the Chapel and lead a prayer of thanksgiving at each point;
The font; for all who have been baptised in St Bernadette’s
The Lectern; for all who have heard the Word of God proclaimed here
Statue of St Bernadette; for the protection of our patron Saint
The door; for the welcome we have all received here
The Altar; for all who have been nourished by the Bread of Life in St
Bernadette’s.
To each short prayer we respond
Bishop Patrick; Blessed be God forever!
All;
Blessed be God forever!
Bishop Patrick will remain on the Sanctuary and invite three people to come
forward to receive items that will come with us to St Christopher’s;
A Chalice; received by a Eucharistic Minister to symbolise the Eucharist we
will continue to celebrate
The Lectionary; received by a reader to symbolise the Word of God that we will
continue to hear and proclaim in Sneinton
A Hymn Book; received by a welcomer to symbolise the welcome we have
received from St Christopher’s and the welcome we will continue to extend to
the people of the area.
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Bishop Patrick will then give us his blessing.
Bishop Patrick;
All;
Bishop Patrick;
All;
Bishop Patrick;
All;
Bishop Patrick;
All;
Fr Joe;
All;
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and forever
Our help is in the name of the Lord
Who made heaven and earth
And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and
the Son, + and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and
remain with you forever.
Amen
The Mass is ended, go in peace,
glorifying the Lord by your life
Thanks be to God
Final hymn
864; God’s Spirit is in my heart
When the final hymn has ended, you are invited to come forward and
venerate the altar with a kiss.
The altar represents Christ, the altar and the sacrifice. At the start and end of
each Mass, the Bishop or Priest kisses the altar as an act of veneration of He
who is at the centre of our life and worship.
If you wish to make the same act of devotion – which will be our final sign of
faith in this building – then please simply come forward with reverence and kiss
the altar before leaving the Chapel.
After Mass, everyone is welcome to make their way downstairs. There
are mugs of tea, bacon or sausage cobs and plenty of cake to help us celebrate the
life of the parish.
There will also be a film playing of the final Mass at St Bernadette’s School –
you might spot some familiar faces.
The table tennis tables will also be up and running!
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The history
Details of the history of this site are sketchy, but this will give you some
sense of what these buildings have seen.
1883
St Patrick’s Church opened on London Road
School opened 1874, Presbytery 1879
1933
9th December
Foundation Stone of St Bernadette’s School laid by Bishop McNulty
(St Bernadette had been canonised the previous day)
This was a replacement for the Boys School at St Patrick’s site on London
Road which had to be closed due to the poor state of the buildings. It
was originally built to primarily serve Colwick – where there was a lot
of house building going on and forecast.
1934
27th August
St Bernadette’s School opens for business as an all-age school
6th September – official opening.
225 pupils on roll
The first Headteacher was Dan Casey – but only for a short time as he
fell ill and die. He was succeeded by his brother, John (Jack) Casey.
1935
Mass began to be celebrated in St Bernadette’s school as a Mass centre,
served from St Patrick’s on London Road.
1961
St Bernadette’s re-modelled as a Bilateral school.
New science block, craft rooms, gym, boiler house and kitchen provided.
Infant and Junior pupils transferred to St Edward’s.
Secondary intake of 151 pupils admitted.
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1975
St Bernadette’s designated as a 11 – 18 Comprehensive.
465 pupils on roll.
1979
St Patrick’s earmarked for demolition
The care of St Bernadette’s Mass centre passed to
Sacred Heart Parish, Carlton.
The official date of the handover was 31st December 1978
Pentecost Sunday 3rd June; final Mass in the old St Patrick’s.
Bishop McGuinness presided and during Mass presented Papal
Blessings from Pope John Paul to Colin Campbell, Florence Goodall, Mr
& Mrs Donald King, Andrew Long, Joan Maddock, Ethel Needham,
Mary Teresa O’Donnell, Noreen Osborne, Mr & Mrs Vincent Pykett and
Mr & Mrs Edward Swaby. He also presented Bene Merenti Medals to
Alf Jackson, Audrey Muir, Winifred Murrin and Laurence Taylor.
1981
New St Patrick’s Church built in the Meadows
Consecrated by Bishop McGuinness on 22nd October
1985
St Bernadette’s school closed due to diminishing numbers.
11th July – Mass of Thanksgiving held.
Bishop James McGuinness presided, assisted by Fr Brendan O’Sullivan,
Mgr. Atkinson and Canon Soar.
From the booklet for Mass the Mass of Thanksgiving;
‘Our joy must, however, at this time be alloyed with sadness when we consider
the occasion of our coming together ... but we are not gathered here to mourn
our loss, but to give thanks to God for all the gifts and blessings he has showered
upon us ....... When the French Revolution was at its most violent, the
Archbishop of Paris was apparently unmoved by the reports of arrests,
humiliations and executions. When asked why he seemed untouched by all the
horrors around him he replied: “Le bon Dieu prepare quelque chose”
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1987
Thursday 2nd July
Dedication and Blessing of the Chapel of St Bernadette.
Celebrated by Bishop James McGuinness
2017
Sunday 26th February.
Final Mass in St Bernadette’s and closure of the building.
Principal Celebrant, Right Reverend Patrick McKinney,
Bishop of Nottingham,
assisted by Fr Joe Wheat,
Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Parish, Carlton.
Mass in Sneinton continued to be celebrated from the 5th March 2017 in
St Christopher’s Anglican Church, Trent Lane through a formal
agreement between the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham
and the Anglican Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.
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Memories of St Bernadette’s
Mary Clare
The first headmaster was Dan Casey, who sadly died at an early age. The
position was then taken by his brother John (Jack) Casey who was there for
many years.
My father, Harold Andrews, was the first caretaker at the school. He left,
temporarily, during the Second World War, but resumed again after the war
and remained until his retirement in the 1960s.
I started school at St Bernadette’s in late 1940 but was there for only six
months. At that time, other teachers in the school were Leslie Clark, Miss
Hogan, Miss Hurley, Miss O’Neill and Miss Whelpton – who was in
charge of the first year pupils.
I remember my father going to the school every Saturday afternoon to set
out the hall with chairs and kneelers for Sunday Mass. I would go with him on
Sunday afternoons to move everything out again.
After the war, there was a prisoner of war camp on Colwick Woods. Most
of the ‘prisoners’ were Ukrainian, and they had an excellent choir who attended
Mass at St Bernadette’s on Sunday’s to sing and join in the services.
Happy memories.
May Queen
Procession
1950s?
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St Bernadette’s primary school. 1954??
Little angels!
First Holy
Communion
group from
1958??
With Fr
Cummings
and Mr Casey
(Headmaster)
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More angels! This time from June 3rd 1956
See anyone you recognise?
Teresa Brett on her First Holy
Communion Day
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A class in 1957?? Can you put a name to any of the faces?
An early music
lesson in St
Bernadette’s.
Are you in this
photo?
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Mass in the school hall before the move across the drive
After the move into the current building, before the Chapel was created
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Notice anything missing?
Even before the trees had grown
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Life in the Chapel – Baptisms
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Making music
Fr Trevor Clarke and servers .... poised to process
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All ready for Christmas
The late Bishop McGuinness flanked by the late Fr Brendan O’Sullivan
and Fr Sean Hanratty??
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The late Fr Dave
Everitt looking
delightful!
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‘Big’ Brendan beaming
Big Brendan with
.........?
This young boy was
actually very tall for
his age – 6ft 3 in fact.
However, not a
match .......
No idea.
Not even sure I
want to know.
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Christmas party?
See anyone you recognise?
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Alf Jackson
The large framed photo of St Bernadette was from the original school. The
smaller picture (in the sacristy) was from Canon Needham at Tollerton
Seminary. The Tollerton priests said Mass most Sundays for us.
The large benches in church (around the sides) came from St Hugh’s,
Tollerton. The smaller ones, the central altar and tabernacle came from the
convent at Ollerton when it was closed. The Sacred Heart statue came from
Leicester and St Bernadette’s statue was ‘smuggled’ in from Lourdes, in the
coach spare tyre.
The tables in the community hall were rescued from Sacred Heart School,
wooden chairs (downstairs) came from Nottingham City Schools department
(sweet talk and a pint of beer), the long kitchen worktop and sink came from St
Bernadette’s kitchen. The gas stove from City Council School Department and
the freezer and fridges etc just rescued.
50% of the crockery came from the Italian club when it closed. The rest of
the pots etc came from the Royal Hotel when they had a clear out to make way
for some better Pots. The petrol lawnmower was paid for second-hand, other
mowers donated (it saved parishioners having to use their own mowers!). The
bags of salt kept in the boiler room were donated by a film company.
Various other items were begged, borrowed or acquired. The vestments
were all new and other items for church came from St Patrick’s – we got half the
items and the rest went into the new St Patrick’s in the Meadows. The
processional cross was made by a parishioner with a rescued figure of Christ
and the wood used was to match the church furnishings. It was made to a small
scale to cope with the low ceiling in the Chapel.
£100 was given to purchase the Stations of the Cross. This was probably
only enough to purchase the hooks to hang them on! The donor was taken to
Liverpool, shown round the church furnishings company and taken for lunch.
During the course of which he said ‘I know why you have brought me here!’ He
took out his cheque book and donated £1000 to cover the Stations of the Cross.
The crib figures came from Mount St Bernard’s Abbey for £200.20p, the
proceeds from a ‘sale’ event for Christmas. The price was what was in the bag
with all the money from the event. The Brothers at the Monastery couldn’t
believe they were being paid in ‘cash’. We did negotiate the price, saying that
was all we had!!
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A word of thanks
 To Bishop Patrick for being with us today
 To all those who have worked hard to prepare our liturgy and lead
it so beautifully ...... musicians, servers, sacristans, readers,
Eucharistic Ministers, welcomers ........ to those who contributed
photos and memories for this booklet .......
 To everyone who came on Friday to clean and prepare the Chapel
and downstairs rooms
 To the band of parishioners who have sorted out the refreshments
after Mass
And finally, to every member of the parish who has over the years given
their time and efforts here at St Bernadette’s ..... it is only through their
dedication that we have such a good legacy to build on and take us into
a new chapter of our life in Sneinton.
The final word belongs to our Patron Saint;
‘If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces... never be afraid to
pick one of those pieces up and begin again. That's the beauty of being alive...
We can always start all over again. Enjoy God's amazing opportunities
bestowed on us. Have faith in Him always...’
St Bernadette Soubirous
St Bernadette; pray for us
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus; we place our trust in you
Que soy presto – I am ready
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