NEW REMEMBRANCE MEMORIAL AT ST JOSEPH'S
Remembrance Sunday 2012 saw the laying of the traditional Wreath of Remembrance from the Parish.
This year the wreath was laid at a brand new memorial located on the back of the ‘Lourdes Grotto’.
In October 1988 the then Parish Priest, Father Michael Murphy, was leaving the health centre in Wool when a man approached him asking him if he was ‘the R.C. Padre’. When Father confirmed this the man in question asked to become a Roman Catholic.
His name was Ron Bennett.
After being received into the Church, Ron became involved in many aspects of parish life. In 1991 together with his friend, John Ackerman, he built a memorial to commemorate the war dead. Ron sited this on the North garden wall of the priest’s house. It consisted of two paving slabs as a background with a wooden cross and figure of Christ together with a simple plaque with the words of ‘Lest We Forget’.
This Memorial stood the test of time for 21 years. By 2011 the figure of Christ had been vandalised, the cross had deteriorated and the wording had become faint.
Coincidentally in the summer of 2012 the ‘Lourdes Grotto’ opposite the back door of the church had become totally overgrown and neglected.
The grotto was built by Ron Bennett and John Ackerman. The stone was provided by a builder from Swanage who Ron had met on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Small stones from Lourdes and Medjugorje were included in the building of the grotto.
The two statues were the personal gift from Father Michael Murphy to the parish.
The grotto was blessed and dedicated by Father Michael on Monday 25th February 1991. A time capsule containing their writings of children from St Mary’s First School was cemented into the grotto wall.
Fortunately, two parishioners, Mary & Jim Wetherill took an interest in the grotto and removed all the plant material and cleaned the stonework. A triangular stone projection that had for years proved an obstruction to any passing vehicle, was removed by Colin Baker. The grass around the grotto was re-seeded.
The now bare back wall of the grotto seemed a more appropriate and accessible site for a new memorial.
A new Celtic style cross and wreath hook were made by Spring Grove Forge, Puddletown and bronze plaque ‘Lest We Forget’ was made in Norfolk. Everything was finished in time for Remembrance Sunday 2012.
The Faithful Departed
November 2011-2012
Father Richard Veal
David Clarke
Joan Pearce
Peter Macklin
William (Bill) Tracey
Gerry Millington
Anthony William O’Sullivan
Joan Miller
Wilma Mulliner
David John Marsh
David Manuel
Mary Bernadette Eley
Dorothy Mitchell
Joanne Marie Palmer
John Kelly
Margaret Evans |
