Annual Corpus Christi procession

June 1936

Mexborough and Swinton Times June 19, 1936

Annual Corpus Christi Procession

The inclement weather during the weekend curtailed the proceedings, but did not dampen the rejoicing, at St Albans Church, on Sunday, for their annual Corpus Christi procession, which was conducted amid scenes of pleasing pageantry.

It has been customary to hold the Benediction in the open-air before a beautiful temporary altar erected in the pleasant grounds of the Presbytery, but owing to the rain on Saturday and the dark clouds on Sunday, this part of the program had to be reluctantly abandoned, and after opening the service inside the church, the procession, in which about 600 adults and schoolchildren took part, moved into the place was a Presbytery grounds the Convent grounds and through the school grounds, back to the Presbyterian to the church.

The procession was headed by the cross bearer (P Healy) and altar boys, who were followed by the men of the parish and the schoolchildren, by the white veiled and gowned Children of Mary, who formed the choir and sang unaccompanied hymns throughout the walk, and by the women of the parish.

The Blessed Sacrament was carried by Father J Holohan, parish priest, with whom was Father C Lehane, and in the path of the Blessed Sacrament for which Mr William Atkin was Bell bearer, little children, in white dresses with red sashes, strewed flowers.

St Albans Scouts formed a guard of marshals at the entrance to the church. On the return to church benediction was conducted by father Holohan, and Lehane, and an address was given by father Holohan. A fanfare of trumpets was sounded by Scoutmaster T Dolly and Rover Scout W Kelly .

Flower strewers were May Watson, Agnes Hill, Mary McDonnell, Kathleen Connolly, Ellen Handley, Hazel Scott, Edith Rose, Patrick Fallon, Winnie Mcgrath, Mary Mannion and Thelma Nolan.

Thomas and William Kelly were the acolytes and Messrs J Finn, A Redington, M Rogers and M O’Neill (senior) were canopy bearers. Michael Hurley (infant king) and Annie Mullen (infant Queen) were also in the procession .