St. Anselm’s College officially opened on 18th September 1933 so this year we are celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the College’s foundation by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. On Saturday morning, on the eve of the Feast of St. Anselm, Canon Niall Mullaley, Fr. Michael Coughlan and old Anselmian Fr. Bernard Forshaw celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Hall. We remembered some of the great characters and leaders of the College, including Christian Brothers, staff and students, and gave thanks for the achievements and influence of the Christian Brothers on the lives of our students, past and present, and on the Catholic and Christian communities of Wirral.
The Mass was attended by a generations of Anselmians, ranging from the late 1940s to our present day Students Geroge Goulding and James Worthington, who served Mass, and Harry Dennis and Tom Jones who delivered the music and sound during the liturgy. After Mass, we were able to share fond memories and reminisce over a tasty buffet, while the new Year 12 Executive Prefect team gave our visitors guided tours of Outwood House, which was the Brothers’ House and forbidden territory for most of our Anselmian visitors during their school days!
This was an enjoyable and fitting celebration and I think that we paid fitting tribute to my predecessors Br. O’Halloran, Br. Kerrigan and Br. Coffey, amongst others, and the generations of Brothers, staff and students who have moulded the College into the successful and harmonious learning community it has become.
I pay particular thanks to our Chaplain Tom Murray, for the liturgy of the Mass, to Mrs Judith Ferrante for leading the hymns and to Mrs Donna Lennon for the Order of Service.
I hope to be in the congregation for the College’s Centenary Mass during the Academic Year 2033-4! All Anselmians will be welcome to join us.
Simon Duggan
Headmaster
