On Saturday 21st November 2009, the Union of Catholic Mothers celebrated their 50 years in the Middlesbrough Diocese. Members from Filey, Scarborough, Hull, Middlesbrough and York met at the Bar Convent, York.

Their National President, Mrs Sheila Goodchild, joined them on this special occasion. The UCM Spiritual Advisor, Fr Sean O’Donnell from Filey, celebrated Mass in the Bar Convent Chapel where Mass was first celebrated in 1769. In 1765, it was still illegal to build a Catholic Church and with the help of lay friends, the Sisters began to build the Chapel. It was concealed from the outside world with a pitch roof covering the ‘sunk dome’. The relic of the hand of St Margaret Clitherow was displayed in front of the Altar during Mass. St Margaret Clitherow was born in York and her family would have been acquaintances of the family of Mary Ward. It was wonderful that we should be meeting at the Bar Convent in the year that the IBVM and Congregation of Jesus are celebrating 400 years of Mary Ward’s founding vision of apostolic service. During the Mass, Fr Sean, who is also celebrating his Golden Jubilee to the Priesthood this year, enrolled two new members to the UCM for the St Aelred’s Foundation.

After Mass, Sr Mary Walmsley gave a short talk on Mary Ward. Lunch was then served in the Bedingfield Room. Following this, many of the Mothers departed into York for some retail therapy before returning to their various parishes in the Diocese.

Kath Stubbs

President, Middlesbrough Diocese Union of Catholic Mothers