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The History of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church & Priory | |
Church or Hall
On the eve of Ascension Thursday, May 1950, Fr.Alexis M. Mullens OSM and Fr.Patrick M.
O'Connell OSM left London for Dundee at the invitation of Bishop Scanlan of Dunkeld to
begin the Servite Friars community in Dundee and take charge of the new parish of St. Vincent's.
So began a new chapter in the history of the Servite Order, with its most northerly community
and its new foundation in Scotland.
Fr.Pat O'Connell, takes up the story:"We lived in St.Patrick's for six months, while the "hall" at
St.Vincent's was half finished. Yes, it was planned as a hall, because a church was not allowed with the scarcity of building
materials after the war, especially timber. Later, on the advice of the Franciscans in Edinburgh,
who had built a hall-cum-church, we were able to stop the "hall" usage. It was not a good idea
anyway, and the odours of Friday nights lingered well into the Sundays! The building was designed
by Dundee Architect W.W.Friskin, functional but very solid. We were looking fo a house to live in.
There was no chance of getting a Council house. And so we eventually got 39 Forfar Road, just inside
the ring-road where the tram terminus reached. Fr.Alexis Mullens had a brother in Newcastle who
was a furnisher. We stayed with him on our first journey to Dundee. This brother kindly provided us
with furniture from his store for our first home."
Bishop Scanlan opened the church with a Pontifical Mass on 16th December 1950, with the Servite Provincial Fr.Vincent
M. Naughton OSM in attendance, with V.Rev.Fr.Francis M. McEnerney as deacon and Rev.Fr.Charles
M. Cunningham OSM as subdeacon. Also present were members of the senior clergy of Dunkeld Diocese
and Provost Keenan of Dundee.
"After the Solemn High Mass, we went down town for a celebration dinner."
New Church - Solemn Mass
"So we started our labours that very snowy winter, with intensive visiting of a much lapsed
Catholic population. They seemed well pleased to see us and their response was good. We planned
to open the church officially before Christmas 1950. Fr.Anthony M. Rainbird OSM drove four
of our brethern all the way from London in the snow, an amazing feat; Fr.Francis M. Mildner,
Fr.Angelo M. Fletcher, Fr.Francis M. McEnerney and the Provincial Fr. Vincent M. Naughton OSM.
The Church wasn't at all ready and the workers had left the site for their weekend break. We
had enormous work to do so as to be ready for the Bishop's Mass on the 16th December"
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