Helping to Send a Priest to Kenya

Pupils and staff of Denaby St. Alban’s Catholic School combined to stage a concert at St. Alban’s Club last week to help send former pupil, Fr. Patrick Littlewood, to his missionary work in Kenya.

Each class in a total of 240 children performed an item to raise proceeds towards a presentation to Father Little-wood, who is at present awaiting a permit to enter Kenya.

Fr. Littlewood, (27), of 19, Fullerton Avenue, Conisbro’ was a pupil at St. Alban’s until 1954 when he entered St. Peter’s College, Fresh- field, near Liverpool, for educational and vocational training. Since then he has studied at St. Joseph’s College, Burnhall, near Durham, and studied philosophy at Roosendaal, in Holland.

3e received his Diaconate at Mill Hill, London, last year and in February was specially appointed by Cardinal Heenan as deacon of the Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury at Fulham. He worked there until his ordination on October 19th.

He was the first candidate to be ordained at the church in its 130 years history.

First Mass

He concelebrated his first Mass the following day at Denaby with Frs. P. Hurley, M. Hurley and B. McCabe.

Fr. Littlewood, who was trained and ordained as a missionary priest, is to work in Kenya among the Kisli and Luo tribes.

“First of all, it is general missionary work in the already established mission stations,” he told the “South Yorkshire Times” this week.

“From there we will go out on safari work, into the bush to work with the tribes. You must get an intimate knowledge of the tribal structure.

“I have studied anthropology at Mill Hill, which is absolutely vital in order to understand the people.”

Father Littlewood said that it will take about five years to get an adequate grounding in the language, “but in order to teach we must learn,” he said.

During his first five years in Kenya he is to help in dispensaries and in agricultural schools, before returning home for a brief holiday, and back again to Africa.

Hand in hand

“I have always been for missionary work,” he said.

“There are more opportunities to help people and you can see material development. You’re not there on the spiritually basis only because the two go hand in hand.”

Father Littlewood added that if anyone in South Yorkshire’s been on is going to the same meeting, he would welcome hearing from them and as a result possibly see them there.”