A farewell to and from the Swiss Catholic Mission [to be continued]

Autor(en): Bossard, Paul

Objekttyp: Article

Zeitschrift: The Swiss observer : the journal of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK

Band (Jahr): - (1983)

Heft 1806

PDF erstellt am: 29.09.2021

Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-689890

Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber.

Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind.

Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz, www.library.ethz.ch

http://www.e-periodica.ch A /aretue// to and /rom the Swiss Catho/ic Mission

THIS short official statement of Fr Attilio Lanfranchi's work in lean little priest climbed like a may hit us like an arrow hitting its London. Following a call from the chamois over ruins, looking for target. The power and the Westminster Diocesan survivors, never seeming tired. ON the occasion of the strength of such an impact comes Authorities for help in assisting The Swiss in London saw this last annual general meet- from the bow stretched by the foreigners with language and were aware that they had ing, on June 29. 1983. the strong arm of the Mighty Archer. problems, he came from problems too. Why should their Committee of Swiss Before the books are closed Posciavo in 1936 to serve as mul- compatriot not look for them? In Catholics in London, not and hidden in the archives let us tilingual priest in the Cathedral, times of war people suddenly without regrets, accepted spare a little time to look again at especially in the confessional and begin to think and seek help. the decision of the Swiss the power and the strength of the for sickcalls. Colonel Bon, president of the Bishops' Conference to great devotion which has sent this His fluent command of Italian, Swiss Benevolent Society sat close down the Swiss mission through its troubled 40 French, German and English won together with his colleagues J.J. Catholic Mission. years. him the admiration of his Boos, A. Steinmann. J. Eusebio, The changed times Hard work has been done by colleagues and his superiors. But C. Grob and others and formed a made this unavoidable. A many people, especially the they had considerable difficulties committee to ask the Cardinal mission is for a special founders, and great endurance in appreciating his uncomplicated Arthur Hinsley of Westminster to task and once that is was involved. We must not forget ease in dealing with people and set Fr Lanfranchi free, so that he accomplished. It is over. them or its source of Divine his utter disregard for class- could serve the Swiss in their Origin, the Holy Spirit. distinction and strict English great pastoral need. solved and the ritual. The Cardinal listened to the Chaplain. Attifio Lan/ranc/if Fr. Faul Bossard. was All the same, they tried their plea, understood that it made authorised to take charge (1936-1958) best to show forbearance, since, sense, but simply did not like the ol all its remaining Old England as a mighty after all, he was a foreigner for idea. As leader of the Catholic responsibilities and take power ruling the world, has foreigners. When war broke out Church he strongly opposed little gained experience in dealing with and refugees and prisoners of groups of national ghettos that volvéd in its dissolution, foreigners and in keeping them at war from various countries were had sprung up amongst Poles, bay. But when power begins to numerous, he visited the camps, French, Germans and Spaniards. crumble the masters have to learn cared for their needs and was He had had to bow before the that everybody rises and wants to their friend. strong ones, but little take his share. Then came the bombs, and Switzerland? Good heavens, no! This is in short the background with many of his colleagues this Fr Lanfranchi did a good job in 16 Westminster, why lose him now Finally, the Swiss Catholic Mis- occasions, always starting from Above the vestry was a room, during the war? We can get rid of sion had become a fact, it had a scratch. inhabited by mice and rats and him later once it's over! title and a rubber stamp, a force- Trying desperately to raise birds. With a few hundred pounds But the Swiss were not so ful committee and a devoted and funds, the committee, under the it could be turned into a bedsitter. easily put off. original chaplain, but very little leadership of Colonel Bon, In those times such expenses "Since we are a small country, money. In a joint effort they all worked hard to help their untiring used to cause headaches, but have we no rights? Do our poor promised to solve this minor chaplain and protect him from they were tolerated by the com- people, our sick and our dying problem. unfair criticism. mittee. have no right to do confession in Fr Lanfranchi had a foretaste Through the minutes of their On his return the most urgent their own language? Can you of the dynamics of a meetings we can see the hope repairs were carried out. The give us a priest who speaks life when he agreed to devote and despair, small success and chaplain had a permanent home, German, French and Italian, the most of his time to his com- much frustration as well as grate- a little church and was appointed languages of our home? There patriots and had to move from his ful appreciation for help of the as its . are at least 2,000 in London!" cosy room at Westminster Swiss diplomatic delegation. But there were strings He had to agree, though with Cathedral clergyhouse to the It was finally Minister M. de attached. Never could he call it reluctance. So his assistants drew Tollington Park , which Torrenté who succeeded to "Swiss Church" or conduct after- up the terms of reference for a proved a great disappointment. penetrate the silence of noon services for Swiss, except Swiss Catholic Mission. Never For 10 years he had to move ecclesiastic benevolence and on special days like the first of should there be a Swiss Catholic August, "Bettag", Christmas and Church in London. One "Eglise Easter, when Catholics could not Suisse" for the Protestants is By Fr Paul Bossard fulfill their Sunday obligation. enough. Being only a "Mission" it Holy Mass was still before midday can be dispensed with, once its from place to place to find a move the Cardinal, Bishop B.W. only. task is fulfilled. parish priest - I counted seven Griffin, from granting blessings to It was attended by the local If we must do so, we will make different addresses in his circulars taking steps to change a critical neighbourhood, who were happy Fr Lanfranchi their chaplain. He - who was prepared to give him situation. to have a priest again. And they has no permanent contract and accommodation for the work he Worried and overworked, the made good use of him. can be sent home whenever we was doing. chaplain recovered in Switzerland But happily he looked back wish, without giving a reason! Let It was no easy task for him and from gastric ulcers. He was again over the first 10 years of the Swiss us give the Swiss plenty of bless- for the Committee to find firm offered a chair as English teacher Catholic Mission and wrote in his ings - and keep them at bay. ground and a little bit of security. this time at the college in Schwyz. report: "From a very few zealous On September 20 1942 on the After the war, young Swiss But he returned, moving into Catholics at that time, we have National Day of Prayer, con- flocked by the hundreds and St. Ann's Church in Abbey nowadays about 600 families on gratulations and blessings came thousands to England to learn Orchard Street, near West- our lists, without counting the from all sides. English, find a job or a new home, minster Cathedral, With great four figure numbers of young The Swiss Catholic Mission and he offered them a home delight the news was spread people who come and go". was established with style and in from home with his "Edelweiss- through the colony in circulars We know that statistics cannot the presence of Bishop Myers Club" (1945) which later became and through the Swiss Observer. give a true picture in the life of the who had studied Swiss History the "Alpenrosen-Club" (1948). St Ann's was a cosy little Spirit, but they show that through and knew how to tickle the pride A mixed choir met regularly for church of the Irvingian Apostolic the great effort made by people of Swiss. rehearsals and helped to give Pentecostals, built around 1880. the Spirit can work. Even the bishop of Chur atmosphere and "Swisscolour" to It was leased to Westminster A great dam needs strong walls joined the choir and blessed Fr his services and social gatherings. Cathedral in 1922 due to lack of to keep water in, to build up the Lanfranchi who had previously And constantly he was on the worshippers. It was of no great pressure and then give the tur- frustrated his last attempt to avoid move, to attend to the sick, the importance, had suffered bine the power. And a bow must such a decision by turning down old and to those in despair. He damage in the war and had been be bent to the point of near his offer of a chair as professor in searched out churches and neglected. breaking so that the arrow can hit English at the high-school in church halls to gather his flock for The Swiss of course, would Chur. religious services and for social prevent it from falling to pieces. Turn to Page IS 17 TT

From Page 17 But with the church came also Cardinal after most careful deserved. a community of local people who consideration. Again they were mistaken. In its target. This is exactly what were happy to have a priest in It was an accident with its sub- those times rewards were given happened. their midst, and they needed time sequent court case and publicity, for successful people - and he With new elan and effort the devoted to them. How could the that had angered the chaplains could show nothing. second decade of the Swiss chaplain cope with the additional superiors. He was sent to serve a colony Catholic Mission began on firm parish, the young people and the Why his car refused to obey of foreign workers, deep in the ground. repairs without neglecting the old that tired body with an empty mountains where a huge dam The most urgent repairs of the and the sick Swiss all over stomach did not concern them. was built for electric power. church were done, the organ was London? He had had some drinks and There was rock and ice and put in order and tuned and the Everyone on the committee that was it. The priest who came little vegetation, and it was a five choir flourished. agreed that an assistant was badly to help him in his work had to hour walk to the nearest village. The nearby Catholic school in needed. He would need accom- relieve him. He died in 1969 of a broken Great Peter Street offered its hall modation, a housekeeper, long To the great distress of the heart? for the social gatherings of the consultations and even more committee and all his many This is, of course, how it looks "Alpenrosen club" on Sunday money. friends he had to bid farewell in from outside - there was more evenings. It attracted the young Finally all work was done and January, 1959. They all within: the secret of his strength, students and the ever increasing the new flat neared completion. A expressed their thanks and his friendship and deep number of au-pair girls, keeping second priest was coming to hoped that he would find on his humanity, a true follower of them in contact with the life of the everybody's relief - but he had to return to Switzerland the reward Christ - but it remains a secret. church. go. He was dismissed by the his great merits and experience To be continued. curfour SUfSSe Cft > <^s^tzerland ^§/LVER p CELEBRATION CMA DISCOUNT X* IU ^Geneva To mark this important occasion we are offering £70 a discount of £10 per person to all SWISS " NATIONALS through our associates in London RETURN SWISS AIRTOURS. Less Discount To qualify please forward a photocopy of page ^Zurich 3 of your passport when making reservations. Tb/'s offer /s vo//d wnf/V 37sf December 7953. All flights from and to Gatwick by CT A 7W£ SW/SS a Swiss Charter Company renowned for punctuality and superb in flight service. SPfCML/Sf

address is Our only in the U.K. Not connected in UK with GOVT BONDED 63 Neal Street, London WC2H 9PJ any other agency using a similar SWISS AIRTOURS name ATOL 661 Tel 01-836 6751 Telex 295356 BRITAV G is