100 years on Leeson Street

August 17, 2010 in General, News

leesonst_01The Leeson Street community celebrated its centenary happily. Bruce Bradley, who started St Ignatius’ Day in Farm Street, London, dashed over to give a carefully researched and memorable homily to Jesuits and a houseful of friends at Mass in University Church. Then Fergus O’Donoghue launched the congregation on an SJ-themed tour of Newman House, where, over wine and finger food, Fr Tom Layden introduced the centenary book (pictured here). It was a memorable day, the fruit of excellent planning, and it all came together nicely. To mark the birthday the house has been renovated in a dozen ways, and the Messenger Office rewired. Apart from the book, with its illustrations both of our history and present state, the archives inherit a visual record of the community, in the shape of interviews on camera with each of the brethren.