Laodiceia posts a link to some biographical talks by Fr Hugh Thwaites S.J., here he talks about his developing faith as a young soldier during the war, it is quite a remarkable story.
Say a pray for him, he was a remarkable priest, courageous in his obedience to Christ, he suffered greatly with the decline of the English Province of the Society of Jesus.
13 comments:
I love these talks. I have about 30 downloaded on my I Phone & listen to them whilst doing the housework with my head phones in!
When did Fr. Thwaites die?.
You write as if FrThwaites was dead. Surely he is still alive as far as I know and lives at Holy Cross nursing home near Heathfield (Benedictine Sisters of Grace of Compassion as you probably know)
Fr Thwaites is still very much alive, though apparently is too infirmed to be able to say Mass.
I was just listening to his talk on the rosary. He describes visiting the sick & infirm who may not be able to do more than pray their rosary. He was telling a young lady she should pray the rosary & how the girl burst into tears. He asked what was the matter? She said her father had died before she was born & his last words were to ask for his rosary.I'm certain although I have never met Fr Thwaites that he is praying his praying his.
Ok, thanks.
He has the greatest voice to listen to. Love the man a great deal. I have been listening to him for years now. Love his pascendi rendition. Simply fantastic. Never met him though:)
Thanks for the plug :) You gave me a wee shock, writing as though Fr Thwaites were dead!
Fr Thwaites is a remarkable and holy priest. He was our parish priest in Dolgellau for a short while. I once commented on his full haid of hair, and he said the answer to stop balding was to brush your hair very vigourosly. He also said that the Titanic sank because a protestant ship worker at H&W had written a blasphemy against Our Lady inside the hull. I do hope he is being well look after.
Fr Thwaites gave a retreat to the Sixth Form at St Francis Xaviers College, Liverpool, probably in 1958.
I remember him as unassuming, holy and friendly person. He said nothing about his war record, but then I don't think many of the soldiers did.
My friend at that time was so taken by his charisma that he expressed the wish to become a priest, and was very enthusiastic about it. But then he met his first girl friend...
Fr. Hugh Thwaites, S.J. is a truly remarkable person and still alive . I first met him on my first day in England when I came as a layman in 1968 and within hours he had me calling on homes, alone, to recruit people for his much loved Legion of Mary . He just took me to an area in Clapham in his van, and dropped me pointed to a house and said, ..."That's your first house!" gave me a sheet of addresses. and droveaway leaving me petrified!! Later he got me to help him with setting up a Chaplaincy to overseas students in Tooting Bec. He and I slept on mattresses on floor for first week there. Years later when I was a Parish Priest he lived in my presbytery for quite some time (on a proper bed!) until he broke his hip following the deanery Mass for deceased clergy During his time with me he travelled every week-end to various places to ofter the Extra-ordinary Form of the Mass, then known as The Tridentine Mass. He loved and celebrated that Mass daily.
His influence has reached distant parts and he has been a great influence on many National Leaders in African countries who had been students and residents at that chaplaincy in Upper Tooting Park.
Mind you, having lived with him for so long I often recall that "One saint in a house and everybody else is a martyr!" I can imagine his beguiling, humble,half smile at that comment... a smile that disarmed so many people as he asked them " Are you a Catholic?" and if they replied "No" he would say "But you would like to be, wouldn't you?"
i was lucky enough to meet Fr.Thwaites when he was living in Scotland in the late 50's,at Craighead Retreat House nr Blantyre run by the Jesuits..even then he had a very special "Aura" about him,he was a young man at the time,but i have never forgotten him,i was a 10 yr old alter boy at the time,and i knew even then Fr .Thwaites was different from all the other Jesuits,it was his eyes,to me even then,he had the eyes of a saint,he was so calm and understanding,as i say i have never forgotten him,and browsing thru' the internet i came across this page after "googling" in his name,i guess now Fr. will be in his late eighties at least,perhaps older,iam so glad to have found him,and that he is still alive,he probably won't remember me,but i certainly remember him,he left an indelible memory in the mind of a 10yr old alter boy,he was that special.God Bless you Father Thwaites,you are totally unique,and i was so lucky to have met you all those years ago.
Ave Maria!
Fr Thwaites is truely a saintly man. I was lucky enough to have seen him at small intervals throughout my life. He always asked critical questions like "How often do you go to confession?" (My Father was the part of the Legion of Mary.)
I never appreciated him until I realised my Catholic faith. I was lucky enough to visit him a number of months ago, a wonderful grace. He still instructing us to say the Rosary...
For those who are inserested, he has a small booklet detailing his memoirs regarding his war days. Another for "Our Glorious Faith and how to loose it"... Both are excellent. I'll try and get them online.
I distinctly remember him eating at our dinner table when I was probably about 10... My dad was prompting me to ask him questions (clearly knowing what great opportunity it was for us)...
He has had an incredible impact on my family... May God bless him and the blessed Mother receive him...
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