For St Patrick's day today, as is our custom, we honoured the saint after Mass with his hymn. Each year when we sing Hail Glorious St Patrick, I remember Miss Strawson, the rather strict but, with hindsight, dazzlingly competent infant teacher who prepared us for Holy Communion at St Mary's in Croydon back in 1965.From that time, I can repeat from memory the catechism answer that "God is the supreme spirit who alone exists of himself and is infinite in all perfections." We had to underline the word "supreme" several times to reinforce the truth that God is greater than the angels. We learnt all about them, and about Lucifer who said that he would not serve God. There was plenty of scripture too: Cain and Abel, Noah, Moses, and many stories from the gospels. We were taught to sing hymns and to understand them; "Bring Flowers of the Rarest" was the occasion for my learning that "azure" was a kind of light blue that we see in the sky.
I do also remember quite a lot of English, Maths, cross-stich sewing, football, rounders and a siesta after lunch. But the Religious lesson was always given the first and most important place. If I remember correctly, Miss Strawson was not particularly impressed by the Beatles and positively repelled by the Rolling Stones. The most feared disciplinary sanction was to be made to stand in the corner. I incurred this punishment on one occasion but I forget the offence which merited it.
Miss Strawson came to my priestly ordination and engaged in some perfectly legitimate boasting that she had taught me the rudiments of the faith. Do say a prayer for her. Since she probably went straight to heaven (she certainly knew about indulgences) there will be some poor soul who will thank her for your surplus intercession.
5 comments:
Affectionate and grateful memories of people who were important to us are a joy, even to the outsider. Thank you
Thank you for this post Father.
I was talking to my mother the other about the 'old days' and she was telling me of the 'Penny Catechism'; I knew of it obviously, but I didn't realise how rigorously it was taught, coming from a more liberal age I was amazed.
I would have loved to have been taught like this!
When the Archbishop of Cardiff visits a parish to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation he sometimes begins his homily aimed at the parents; "Who made you?" "God made me!" - is what all of them reply, some of them who have only turned up for their child's/nieces/nephews confirmation.
Our primary school headmistress Mother (Sister post V2) Scholastica FCJ had a great devotion to St John Bosco. His feast on 31st January was a big occasion at which we sang a hymn in his honour. It began "Thou who didst befriend the friendless". Although I've never heard it since leaving primary school I still remember the tune and the chorus but I've never been able to find the words.
My 'Miss Strawson' was a Miss Davis who retired in my last year of primary school.She taught a class of 40+ children and if you didn't know your prayers on entry to her class, you would certainly know them when you left! I remember her teaching us the Ten Comandments: when we came to the 7th- Thou shalt not commit adultery- she drew our attention to the beginning of the word 'adult'ery, and told us that as this commandment related to adults, we didn't need to examine it further, until we became adult too. It was an explanation which was perfectly satisfying to me at the age of 10. God rest her soul.
Kate, Thou shalt not commit adultery is the 6th commandment. We were told the same thing, and, like you the explanation was perfectly satisfactory.
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