Back in the days of William Allen, Cardinal Allen of Rossall, near Fleetwood, (1532 –1594) who himself suffered bouts of ill health, just such worries faced the frightened Catholics of this land. Frightened? Yes, for those were the “Penal Days” the days of persecution, the days when being a Catholic hurt and there was price on the head of every fugitive priest. Even if priests could be saved from falling into the hands of their persecutors, they still needed looking after. In the efforts of the Catholics of those days to look after their priests we find the origins of what we know today as the LANCASHIRE INFIRM SECULAR CLERGY FUND. It isn’t really a secret of course, but it is surprising how few Catholics have heard of it. In those far off days when Christians were busy dragging each other to the scaffold, then perhaps, it was prudent to keep quiet about such things, but today?

Our picture was taken at the Fund’s A.G.M. held last year in the Garstang Golf and Country Club. Usually not all that many clergy turn up, why? Because when a thing is working well, nobody complains and people tend to ignore it. A few more than usual came along this time; possibly because an election for secretary was to take place. But it was a genuinely brotherly affair where the business end of things was dealt with speedily with the aid of professional accountants and then the fruits of the table were shared. The distant forefathers of this gathering surely approved. Who’s in the picture? Glad you asked because this rounds of the story very nicely. It is if you will please note the LANCASHIRE, not LANCASTER fund. It is made up of priests from the three dioceses of old Lancashire, Salford, Liverpool and Lancaster. By tradition the Chair is from the Salford diocese, the Treasurer from Lancaster and the secretary from the diocese of Liverpool. Left to right, Fr Dunstan Harrington, (outgoing secretary) Fr Peter Birmingham, (Chair) Fr Billy Bootle (Treasurer) and Fr Peter Stanley (incoming secretary).

Priest members offer Mass every month and at other times too for the Fund’s benefactors as well as for deceased members. Newly ordained priests are given the option of joining for the princely sum of £10 and a commitment to offer those monthly Masses. Even in these days of National Health, private health schemes and large wins on the lottery, the Fund is still a very useful backstop in time of need and sickness. Long may it remain so.