Our Lady Flight Into Egypt ~ Mary is honoured as the Chief Patron of our Diocese of Port Elizabeth. In accordance with the official liturgical Pastoral Guide it is therefore elevated to a solemnity (big feast) for the local church and celebrated on the Sunday that occurs on 4th February or between the 4th and 10th February each year.

st. john the baptist 1875 - bedford

Read the partial History of St. John's

Parish Priest: FR. Trymos Munyaka
Cell: 0844655288 Email
Tel: (042) 243 2083 Fax: (042) 243 3355
Ernest Nel Street, BEDFORD
P O Box 9, Bedford 5780

MASS
Sunday 11.00am ~ Thursday 5.30pm
CONFESSION
Sunday 10.30am ~ Thursday 4.30pm
CONFIRMATION CLASSES
Juniors & Young Adults - Sunday 9.00am
St. John’s Church
Contact: Nettie Vitealingum 046 685 0414
JUNIOR CATECHISM CLASSES
Wednesday 3.00pm at St. Joseph’s Hall. Contact:
Katy Mentoor ~ Tel 046 685 0692
Catherine Scott: ~ Tel 046 685 014
Julia Martin: ~ 046 685 0880
MARRIAGE INSTRUCTION
Contact: Pat Tyler ~ Tel: 046 685 0442(Email)
BAPTISM CLASSES
Contact: Aunty Cathy
CHOIR AND MUSIC MINISTRY
Contact: Edel Krige 046 685 0891(Email)
YOUTH MINISTRY
Monday and Friday ~ St. Joseph’s Hall ~ 5 to 6 pm
Contact: Angeline Hatha 084 018 0010
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL MEMBERS
Chairperson: Pat Tyler ~ Tel: 046 685 0442 (Email)
Secretary: Mrs. Denise Scott 046 685 0132
FINANCIAL COUNCIL
Financial Chairman H J Scott 046 685 0132
Finance Secretary: Nettie Vitealingum 046 685 0414
WARD LEADERS
St Patrick: Mrs. V. Fortuin 084 7272474
St Columba: Mr. A. Mentoor 082 847 2486
St. Benedicts: Vacant
CWL
Contact: Mrs. M. Moultrie
EXTRA ORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST
Denise Scott ~ T. 046 685 0312
Irene Moultrie ~ T. 046 685 0516
Katy Mentoor ~ T. 046 685 0692
Pat Tyler ~ T. 046 685 0442 (Email)

History of St John the Baptist 1875 – Bedford

This document will increase in size and become more coherent as further information is obtained. This information gathered with, in Bedford, by Neill Deane, with the help of
Mr. John Henry Scott on the 15th August 2006.

1. An extract from the Templeton High School 100th anniversary publication ~ 1865 to 1965.

The Catholic Community of Bedford started with the coming of men and women from Ireland from about the year 1857 and onwards – Kilfoil's, O’Connor’s, McCarthy, McDonagh's etc. The McDonagh brothers, John and Denis were given Government billets in Bedford. The O’Connor’s went into the Hotel business and in time also owned a Bakery and Butcher’s shop. The Kilfoil’s were also businessmen and ran shops. The postal service to Cookhouse was run by McCarthy.

The spiritual needs of the people were attended to by a priest from Fort Beaufort, where there was a resident priest. He paid periodical visits on horseback. St. Patrick’s Day was the highlight of the year in the good old days.

Later on a resident Priest was appointed to Bedford and the first Catholic Church in Cradock Street in the house where Mrs. S Bouwer (1965) now lives. When St. Joseph’s School closed down it became St. John’s Church. The Priest in charge lived further down in the street in the house which now belongs to Mrs. Turpin(1965). 1899 was a very memorable year for the Bedford Catholics for it was then that four sisters from the Assumption Convent, Grahamstown, came to Bedford and started the first Convent in the house where Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Nel, Cradock Street, are now living. As the number of pupils increased, the sisters had to find larger quarters so they purchased the property belonging to a Mr. King in Adderley Street. As the years went by they enlarged the property a great deal.

Great days were those on which the Bishops at different periods came to administer Confirmation. Special mention can be made of the late Archbishop Hugh McSherry who was the Bishop for 42 years (1896-1938) and who, during that long period, paid very many visits to his people in Bedford as their friend and counselor.

When the Priest’s house in Hope Street was sold, a property was purchased in Russell Street and when that was sold, a new house for the Priest was built next to St. John‘s Church.

In 1920 St.Columba’s Coloured Mission was started and St. Joseph’s Native Mission in 1940.

2. An extract from a typed document entitled “The History of Bedford” obtained from the Bedford Library – Information given by the Mother Superior of the Convent in 1965.

Roman Catholic Church
The first Catholic Services were held during the seventies of the nineteenth Century. The first christening was performed in a temporary Chapel by Bishop J.D. Richards on 4th October 1857. Some time later the first Priest, Father John Maggiororri, arrived. On 6 January 1899, the first four Sisters of the Assumption Order arrived to take over the private school of Mrs. Burden and to found a Convent. In the same year possession was taken of “The Oaks”, the home of Mr. C.W. Hutton, son-in-law of Sir Andries Stockenström, and it still forms the nucleus of the present Convent.

Note: In 1965 there were 9 sisters. At the head of the convent was Mother Patricia.

3. Extracts from the Original Baptismal Register at St. John’s dated 28-11-1875 to
24-10-1971. The first 10 entries are as follows.

First and Surname Date of Birth Father Mother Born in Date Baptized
1. Francis Patrick Reilly 4th Oct 1875 Patrick Susan Bedford 28th Nov 1875 *
2. Henry Kennedy 25th July 1875 Patrick Mary Bedford 5th Dec 1875
3. Mary Elizabeth Ann Bowen 28th September 1874 Dennis Annie Cradock 13th Feb 1876
4. Francis Henry 19th August 1875 Christian Mary Magdaline Bedford 20th Feb 1876
5. Ann McDruagh 25th March 1876 Michael Ann Bedford 26th Mar 1876
6. Patrick Delaney 24th March 1876 William Margaret Bedford 2nd April 1876
7. Nora Agnes Huggon 26th July 1875 David Hannorah Cradock 2nd Aug 1876
8. Ada Louise Priscilla Dudley 18th February 1875 George Annie Bedford 6th Aug 1876
9. Nancy Kilfoil 13th October 1876 Patrick Elizabeth Bedford 13th Oct 1876
10. Ernest John Reilly 27th March 1877 Patrick Susan Bedford 5th Apr 1877 *

Notes:
1st Entry. Priest J.D. Ricardi
First 6 entries – Baptized in the Temporary Roman Catholic Chapel
7th Entry – Baptized in Mrs. Goings house in Cradock
8th Entry – Baptized in Temporary Roman Catholic Chapel
9th Entry – Baptized in Mr. Kilfoil’s House (In per. Mortis)
10th Entry – Baptized in Mr. Riley’s House
2nd to 10th Entries – Priest John Maggiotti
* Brothers

A photo of part of the 1st page of this Register

 

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