The Baron, His Niece and Friends : Friedrich Von
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THE BARON, HIS NIECE AND FRIENDS : FRIEDRICH VON HÜGEL AS A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR, 1915-1925 Robyn Wrigley-Carr A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2013 Full metadata for this item is available in Research@StAndrews:FullText at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3588 This item is protected by original copyright This item is licensed under a Creative Commons License The Baron, his niece and friends: Friedrich von Hügel as a Spiritual Director, 1915-1925. Robyn Wrigley-Carr B.Ed. (Hons) (University of Sydney) M.A. (University of London) M.C.S (Regent College, Vancouver) A.T.C.L. (Trinity College, London) This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews April, 2013 ABSTRACT While the practice of spiritual direction is widespread and increasingly popular, there has been relatively little research on the practices of those perceived to be exemplary spiritual directors. The primary focus of this dissertation is Baron Friedrich von Hügel's spiritual direction of Gwendolen Greene, during the final decade of his life (1915-1925). It also analyses his direction of nine other individuals during this same period, enabling one to recognise and evaluate recurring trends in von Hügel's approach to spiritual nurture. The key to the interpretation of von Hügel's approach is his conception of the 'Three Elements of Religion,' the Mystical, Intellectual and Institutional Elements. The thesis illustrates through analysis of von Hügel's correspondence and diaries the extent to which these shape his whole approach to spiritual direction. The research is archival, focusing on von Hügel's letters of spiritual direction and his personal diaries. The methodology is critical historical research, based on a close reading and assessment of the materials available. To this end, a great deal of original material is unearthed and discussed for the purposes of articulating and evaluating the nature of von Hügel's role as a spiritual director. The findings of this investigation indicate strengths and weaknesses in von Hügel's approach to spiritual direction. His primary contribution is his articulation and utilisation of the 'Three Elements of Religion.' These provide a balanced and holistic approach to spiritual direction. The primary weaknesses in his approach to spiritual direction are evident when he succumbs to values more indicative of the age in which he lived, than of the essence of the Christian tradition. BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX BUTLER, Cuthbert (1858-1934). Benedictine monk of Downside Abbey, Church historian and friend of Friedrich von Hügel's.1 BURNS, Tom (1906-1995). Catholic publisher and editor and close friend of Gwen Greene's. CHAPMAN, Adeline (1848-1931). Close friend of Hügel's, mother of Mildred Mansel and grandmother of Juliet Mansel. CLUTTON, Margaret (1875-1969). Sister of Maud Petre, mother of Arthur and Hügel's directee. COCK, Albert A (1883-1953). Professor of Philosophy, member of the LSSR.2 DOWSON, Mary (born 1848). Author of theological and mystical works using the pseudonym, William Scott Palmer; friend of Hügel's. GARCEAU, Henri (1904-1930). A French boy who lived across the road from Hügel. Henri and his brother, Gilbert, both had weekly religious instruction from Hügel for many years. GLADSTONE, William (1809-1898). British Prime Minister four times (1892-1894), and was close friends to Mary Hügel's family, the Herberts. GLADSTONE, Catherine (1812-1900). William's wife and close friend of Mary Hügel's mother, Lady Herbert of Lea. GREENE, Alexander Plunket (1832-1990). Gwen Greene's grandson, Richard Greene's son and husband of Mary Quant (both were designers). GREENE, Gwendolen Plunket (nee Parry) (1878-1959). Daughter of Sir Hubert Parry and Maud Parry (nee Herbert), and niece of Hügel. GREENE, Harry Plunket (1865-1936). Gwen's husband and an Irish Baritone singer. GRISEWOOD, Harman (1908-1997). A radio and television executive and controller of the BBC Third Program. HERBERT, Sidney (1810-1861). A political statesman, husband to Lady Herbert of Lea and Gwen's grandfather. HOCKING, Raymond (dates unknown). A Dutch Dominican priest who gave Hügel spiritual direction in Vienna in 1872. HÜGEL, Mary (nee Herbert) (1849-1935). Hügel's wife and sister to Maude Parry. HÜGEL, Gertrud (1877-1915). Hügel's first daughter who died in Rome in 1915. 1 Friedrich von Hügel will be referred to as 'Hügel' for the remainder of the thesis due to word limit constraints. 2 London Society for the Study of Religion, an ecumenical group Hügel initiated in 1904. ii HÜGEL, Hildegard (1879-1926). Hügel's second daughter who never married but stayed with the family at home. HÜGEL, Thekla (1886-1970). Hügel's third daughter who became a Carmelite nun (Sister Thekla of Jesus). HUVELIN, Henri Abbé (1830-1910). A French, Catholic priest of Saint Augustin's, Paris and Hügel's spiritual director. JARRETT, Father Bede (1881-1934). The priest who accepted Gwen into the Catholic Church and gave her spiritual direction after Hügel's death. KEMP-SMITH, Norman (1872-1958). A Scottish philosopher, Professor at the University of Edinburgh (1919-1945) and close friend of Hügel's. LILLIE, Frances Crane (1869-1958). An MD and Chicago Philanthropist who converted under Hügel's influence. LOISY, Alfred (1857-1940). A French, Catholic priest and Biblical scholar deeply involved in the Modernist crisis. He was excommunicated in 1908. LUSHINGTON, Susan (1870-1953). A single, family friend of the Parry's. MANSEL, Juliet (1893-1982). Daughter of Mildred Mansel and granddaughter of Adeline Chapman, she lived with the Hügels while attending a London school. Hügel thought of her as his fourth daughter and gave her extensive spiritual direction. MANSEL, Mildred (1868-1942). Mother of Juliet Mansel and member of the Women's Social and Political Union. NORLIND, Emilia Fogelklou (1878-1972). A Swedish Quaker writer, theologian and directee of Hügel's. PARRY, Sir Hubert (1848-1918). English composer and Head of the Royal College of Music, London, and Gwen's father. PARRY, Lady Maude (née Herbert) (1851-1933), wife to Sir Hubert and mother to Dolly and Gwen. PETRE, Maude (1863-1942). A Catholic writer deeply involved in the Modernist controversy. She loved Tyrrell and was denied the Sacraments. PONSONBY, Dolly (1876-1963). Gwen's sister and Arthur's wife. PONSONBY, Arthur (1871-1946). A British politician and Dolly's husband. PONSONBY Laura (birth-date unknown). Gwen's living great-niece and Dolly's granddaughter, who manages Shulbred Priory Archive. iii RUSSELL, Kate (nee Ponsonby) (birth-date unknown). Laura Ponsonby's sister who lives at Shulbred Priory. SÖDERBLOM, Nathan (1866-1931). Archbishop of the Church of Sweden and Hügel's friend. SR MARY OF ST PHILIP (birth-date unknown). Living Prioress of the Discalced Carmelites Priory at Nottinghill who cared for Sister Thekla Hügel in her final years of life. TALBOT, Edward Keble (1877-1949). Anglican priest and curate of a London Church before later becoming Superior of the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield (1922-1940). Gwen attended some spiritual retreats led by Talbot when she was receiving spiritual direction from Hügel (early 1920s). TYRRELL, George (1861-1909). A Jesuit priest and Modernist writer who was expelled by the Jesuit Order. He had the Sacraments suspended and was denied a Catholic burial. UNDERHILL, Evelyn (1875-1941). Author in theology and mysticism, retreat leader and spiritual director. She was one of Hügel's spiritual directees. VESCI Evelyn de (1851-1939). Mary Hügel's cousin and a recipient of Hügel's spiritual nurture. WARD, Josephine (1864-1932). Wife of Wilfred Ward and novelist. WARD, Leo (1896-1842). Wilfred and Josephine's youngest son who became a missionary in Japan. He came to Hügel for spiritual direction while a student at Oxford. WARD, Maisie (1889-1975). Wilfred and Josephine's oldest child who became a writer and publisher. WARD, Wilfred (1856-1916). Catholic writer, editor and lecturer who asked Hügel for spiritual direction when he was dying from cancer. WATKIN, E. I (1888-1981). Convert to Catholicism and author who received spiritual direction from Hügel. WAUGH, Evelyn (1903-1966). English novelist, Catholic convert and friend of Gwen's and the Greene family. WEBB, CCJ (1865-1954). Professor of Philosophy, Oxford University and Hügel's close friend. iv v REFERENCING I. Referencing Schema The archival nature of this research requires constant footnoting. Given the word count constraints, I have devised a consistent means of referencing these materials that succinctly provides the essential information while minimising the impact on word count. Footnotes for archival materials are as follows: Manuscript number:Archive abbreviation:Date. Footnotes for published materials are as follows: Author's name:Date of publication in bibliography:Page number.1 II. List of Abbreviations for Archives BA- Burns' Family archive, London BOU- Bodleian, Oxford University BL - British Library CPA- Carmelite Priory Archive, Nottinghill CRMA - Community of the Resurrection Mirfield, Archive DAA- Downside Abbey Archive EUA - Edinburgh University Archive DAA- Downside Abbey Archive GTUSC- Graduate Theological Union Special Collections GUA- Georgetown University Archive HCA- Haverford College Archive PAA- Pricknash Abbey Archive 1 If an author has two works published in the one year, the first work is marked 'a' and the second work 'b'. vi SAUL- St Andrews University Library Special Collections SPA- Shulbred Priory Archive SSC- Sophia Smith Collection USFSC- University of San Francisco Special Collections III. Abbreviations for archival materials D- Hügel's diary. GDL- Letters from Gwen Greene to Dolly Ponsonby GEWL- Letters from Gwen Greene to Evelyn Waugh GPL- Letters from Gwen Greene to Hubert Parry GTL- Letters from Gwen Greene to Tom Burns RDL- Letters from Richard Greene to Dolly Ponsonby APD- Arthur Ponsonby's Diaries DPD- Dolly Ponsonby's Diaries HPD- Hubert Parry's Diaries SLD- Susan Lushington's Diaries MPD- Maud Parry's Diaries PP- Petre Papers All underlined material in sources is quoted in italics.