St David's Church in East Cowes Celebrates 70th Anniversary

Tuesday, 29 March 2022 12:33

The present church when it was re-built and opened in 1952. The priest is Canon Anthony Akel.

This month marks the 70th anniversary of St. David's Church at East Cowes.

Tuesday, March 1 marked the 70th anniversary of the (present) Catholic church, although the parish can trace its origins back to 1906 with the establishment of the first Mass Centre.

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the opening of the present church, a booklet — In Praise of St. David — has been written by Dr. Paul Severn and published by the Isle of Wight Catholic History Society. This develops and updates an earlier booklet (2006) by Pam Schofield and Janice Douse, as well as examining the life and ministry of St. David.

St. David’s Church at East Cowes is the only church on the Isle of Wight, which is dedicated to 6th century saint, St. David. It is one of the smallest churches in the diocese. Whilst the amalgamation of parishes has been common place, St. David’s at East Cowes is (rather surprisingly) still a single parish. The first Catholic church was built in 1923, (seventeen years after a Mass Centre was established).

This church was destroyed by a wartime bomb in 1942. Ten years later the present church was opened and blessed, with Solemn Mass on the Feast of St. David, 1952, offered by Archbishop John Henry King. The church’s close proximity to Osborne House (a mile away) meant that foreign Catholic royalty and nobility, would sometimes appear at Sunday Mass.

The photo show the old church built in 1923.

Whilst we may be familiar with aspects of the lives of Sts. Andrew, George and Patrick – Patron saints of Scotland, England and Ireland, respectively, – St. David is a bit of an enigma.

He was born (the son of St. Non) in Pembrokeshire, Wales around A.D. 520. The young David grew up to be a priest and travelled throughout Wales and the rest of Britain and even made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he is believed to have been consecrated a bishop.

He preached the Christianity throughout Wales. During one sermon to a large crowd, a white dove is reputed to have landed on his shoulder.
Hence, St. David is often so depicted with the dove.

He died around A.D. 600 and was later declared the Patron Saint of Wales. Such was David’s influence that many pilgrimages were made
to St. David’s shrine and at least fifty churches in South Wales alone bear his name.

His feast day is widely celebrated in Wales, and many people wear traditional Welsh clothing and daffodils or leeks in commemoration.

Fr. Jonathan Redvers Harris, parish priest of St. David’s, East Cowes, writes in the foreword to the booklet:

“When, nearly 30 years ago, I was serving as an Anglican cleric in Wales, it was sometimes quipped that there were three cathedrals in Cardiff; Llandaff Cathedral, where I worked, the Catholic Cathedral of St David, and Cardiff Arms Park – where rugby was supported with an almost religious fervour. Little did I know that one day I would serve, as a Catholic priest, in a church dedicated to St David, where I am now in my ninth year as parish priest.

"I am delighted to commend this booklet to mark the platinum jubilee – in the same year as Her Majesty the Queen’s 70th anniversary as monarch — of St David’s re-dedication, on 1st March 1952, after being rebuilt following its destruction in the blitz of Cowes and East Cowes ten years earlier.

"The booklet usefully draws together various strands: material about the life of this Celtic Saint; St David in hymnody and prayer; a brief historical note on East Cowes St David’s parish, building on the centenary guide to the parish in 2006, and bringing us up to date; and a useful historical note on the Catholic dioceses in Wales. May “In Praise of St David” inform and inspire us all in this anniversary year.”

The church today

The booklet contains a cover illustration by Wendy Redvers Harris to mark the 70th anniversary – a prayer card bearing St David’s maxim,

“Do the little things in life”.

The booklet is on sale at St. David’s Church at East Cowes for £3. It can also be purchased from the Isle of Wight Catholic History Society.

Email iow-chs@outlook.com for more information.

St David's Church in East Cowes Celebrates 70th Anniversary

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