Written mainly by members of the Archdiocese of Birmingham Historical Commission (most of them professional historians), it is also the first venture in this country by the French publishers, Editions du Signe of Strasbourg, who have produced many histories of dioceses in the USA and Ireland. Indeed, Birmingham was able to accept the publisher’s proposal precisely because the Historical Commission existed. It was set up by the far-sighted Archbishop, Maurice Couve de Murville, himself no mean historian.
Editions du Signe hope that, where Birmingham has boldly led, other English dioceses may follow!
This lavishly illustrated book (it has over 800 colour photographs) consists of chapters on major themes such as the development of the diocese’s population and structures, the bishops, the contribution of the religious orders (male and female), Catholic schools and social care, art and learning. The second half of the book consists of brief histories of every parish in the diocese.
Many colourful characters appear on these pages: the prodigious Augustus Welby Pugin and his equally prodigious patron the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, for instance, the ex-Anglican parson who built the cathedral-like church in Leek which his son then served as parish priest for many years, the architect-priest James Egan who designed and built the startling battlemented white church in Ashley and then the even more startling larger version of it in Newcastle, Fr John Hughes who built the present church in Henley-on-Thames, was parish priest for 55 years until retiring at the age of 94 and had worn no socks until the church debt was paid off.
General Editor Professor Jack Scarisbrick adds: ‘the publication of this book is an important event in the life of the Diocese. It has spiritual and pastoral (and catechetical) significance because, by showing what has been achieved by those who have gone before us – the hundreds of devoted priests, thousands of selfless sisters and countless loyal and mainly poor laypeople who made possible all today’s churches and schools and other institutions – it gives us a vivid new sense of our own identity and mission.
‘Nobody studying this book could fail to be struck by the number of fine churches there are throughout the diocese, thanks especially to the Pugin dynasty and architectural giants such as Charles Hansom, the lesser known GB Cox (who designed many of the inter-war churches) and, more recently, Cyril Horsley. Not a few of our churches boast beautiful glass, statues, reredoses, Stations of the Cross, marble and even mosaics. Much of this has been the work of the Hardman studios, which have made an enormous contribution to our churches for generations, but there have been many other notable artists at work among us, such as the Maltese sculptor Carmel Cauchi (in Bedworth) and sculptress Faith Tolkein (notably in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield).
‘Oscott has had a distinguished place in Catholic intellectual life – as for a while did Erdington Abbey. Maryvale is a major pioneering educational achievement. So, in different ways, are Alton Castle and soli House. And then there have been all those schools - now well over two hundred of them, some almost as old as the diocese itself. And what vision inspired Father Hudson and his Homes. I doubt whether there has been anything to match it anywhere in Europe. So we have much to be proud of. And that pride in the past gives us new confidence for the future.’
Most parishes have copies of this book for sale. Ask your parish priest. Or, you can buy it at the cathedral bookshop. It will make a perfect Christmas or birthday present! Price: £20.
