SAINT MARY OF THE ANGELS

Kay took along to St John Fisher Church a number of photographs of both Amy Elizabeth Imrie and St Mary of the Angels Church. Members of the Padre Pio Group were amazed by the photographs of Amy when she was young and in later life when she became Mother Clare Imrie (Poor Clare Sister). Kay hopes that she will be able to add to these photographs should other people invite her to give a talk about Amy Elizabeth Imrie and St Mary of the Angels Church.

Kay told the Scottie Press that she was delighted to be able to speak to the Padre Pio Group about Amy Elizabth Imrie and St Mary of the Angels Church and said that if other church groups or organisations would like to hear Kay she can be contacted by telephoning 0151 207 1830 or by writing to Kay Kelly, 9 Carver Street, Liverpool L3 8DW

PLAQUE HONOURS
AMY ELIZABETH IMRIE

Kay Kelly has successfully ensured that the life of Amy Elizabeth Imrie and her spiritual example to the City of Liverpool will be remembered by future generations with the unveiling of a 'Plaque' sited on a prominent wall of St Mary of the Angels (Friary) Church, Fox Street, Liverpool 3. The unveiling of the plaque, by Doctor Richard Pollard, took place on Friday 13th June. Doctor Pollard is the Great-Nephew of Amy Elizabeth Imrie who was born Amy Elizabeth Pollard in British Guyana in 1870. Following the death of her mother in 1872, Amy was brought to England by her father and was subsequently adopted by Amy's aunt and uncle, Hannah and William Imrie. William Imrie was at this time co owner of Liverpool's famous White Star Shipping Line. Following the deaths of Hannah and William Imrie, Amy Elizabeth Imrie entered into the enclosed order of Poor Clare Sisters (in1907) and gave her family home in Mossley Hill to be the first convent in Liverpool for the Poor Clare Sisters. St Mary of the Angels Church was funded for building by Amy Elizabeth Imrie (in 1910) but by being in the enclosed order of Poor Clare Sisters she was never to actually see the completed church although she did make regular letter communication with the Franciscan Fathers into whose charge and care she gave the church and later the school. It is Kay Kelly's expressed wish that current and future generations of people will be reminded of the life of Amy Elizabeth Imrie who became Mother Clare Imrie (in 1917) and that school children will hold her up as a role model. We will have photographs of the unveiling for the next issue of the Scottie Press.

KAY RECEIVES MERITORIOUS AWARD
IN RECOGNITION OF OVER 20 YEARS
OF CAMPAIGNING

Scottie Press congratulations go to Kay Kelly who was presented with a Liverpool Lord Mayor's Meritorious Award at Liverpool Town Hall on Wednesday 4th December. Kay is pictured with the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Jack Spriggs who expressed his delight in being able to present the award to Kay in recognition for over 20 years of campaigning an behalf of people involved in a variety of issues. Many readers will recall that in 1979, when battling against Cancer, Kay received 'The City of Liverpool's Gold Medal' for collecting over £1 million in order to build a research laboratory in Clatterbridge Hospital. In 1980 Kay was made Catholic Woman of the Year in a ceremony in London.

Kay has in recent years been actively supporting efforts to deter closure of local churches and is currently very much at the fore of action to include St Mary of the Angels Church within the City of Culture Bid. By doing so the famous church known as 'The Friary' can be kept for current a future generations of people to appreciate it's history and heritage and the Italian culture it reflects.

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool fully appreciated and sympathised with the most recent campaigning efforts of Kay as his late wife was baptised in The Friary.

Kay told the Scottie Press that her faith plays a great part in ensuring that her determination continues with her campaigning. Her faith is also at the centre of her wish to see the Friary Church accessible for people to practice their faith and be involved in religious ceremonies.

OUR CAMPAIGN CONTINUES TO ENSURE CHURCH CAN BE BROUGHT BACK INTO USE

Dear Scottie Press, I would like to express my thanks to Councillor Pauline Connolly for all her support given to efforts of the Friary Action Committee to keep the Italian artefacts within St Mary of the Angels Church (Friary), Fox Street. Your readers may be aware that subsequent to my letter in the August issue of the Scottie Press the Liverpool City Council met on Tuesday 20th August and have agreed that the famous religious artefacts should stay in the church. Your readers may however be unaware that whilst this is excellent news there is still much more needed to be done to secure a chance that the church can be brought back into use.

The Friary Action Committee have been campaigning for more than 2 years and have spent a considerable amount of time and money to ensure that plans to have the religious artefacts removed were fought and that the closure/future plans of the Archdiocese were notified to the former parishioners of the church. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have supported the campaign and indeed all who have expressed hopes that St Mary of the Angel's church will have a part to play in the future of the Everton area of Liverpool.

I have been advised that there is a growing desire for the church to be opened for a special mass in order that the Archdiocese can see just how much this church missed and how much can be done to ensure the church has a future. Many of these people have also shared my thoughts that the church should be opened to enable the spiritual guidance/teachings of the Catholic Faith to be accessible and not just for the fittings and fixtures of the church.

I would be very pleased to hear from people who have a viewpoint/suggestion as to the future of St Mary of the Angels church. Please remember that unless we have discussion about issues such as this we are very vulnerable to events taking place without full and proper consultation. I have been involved in other campaigns and know that unless people have a chance to have their say decisions are made that can have a great affect on their lives. Sadly but truly it's no use having your say once these decisions cannot be changed.

I can be contacted by phoning 0151 207 1830 or email nomad01@judge74.demon.co.uk - I hope to establish a website in the near future and will advise the Scottie Press accordingly.

Yours sincerely, Kay (nee Peeney) Kelly

FRIARY ACTION COMMITTEE

battle on to ensure right is seen to be done for St Mary of the Angels Church

Dear Scottie Press, Regarding your recent article concerning St Mary of the Angels R.C. church in Fox Street which appeared on page 5 of the July issue(336) of Scottie Press.

You may be interested to know that on the 27th June it gave me great satisfaction to be able to inform an amazed Nunzia Bertali (the Honorary Italian Consul) of the fact that less than 5 minutes away from the location where she had been engaged in the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in tribute of the hard working and industrious Liverpool Italian Community of both today and yesteryear, there was in existence a magnificent and breathtaking Italian church (i.e. St Mary of the Angels) whose marble interior the local Italian craftsmen had brought to life with their unique expertise.

I am pleased to announce that following her enlightenment, Nunzia Bertali is now 100% behind our Action Committee in saving this church, which is now also known as the Liverpool Vatican. This battle has been ongoing for the last 18 months and will continue to be fought until right is seen to be done.

Yours sincerely,
Kay (nee Peeney) Kelly - (Chair-lady - Friary Action Committee)
Telephone 0151 207 1830
email nomad01@judge74.demon.co.uk

Ps: your readers might be interested to know that information about the Friary Action Committee and indeed St Mary of the Angels church also features on the Liverpool Architecture & Design Website. www.ladt.org.uk

ST MARY OF THE ANGELS

"Cross its threshold and you enter the gates of Rome"

The Vauxhall History & Heritage Group are mindful that much of Liverpool's history & heritage has been, and is being lost, to redevelopment. The Vauxhall History & Heritage Group are supportive of the efforts being made to secure the future of St Mary of the Angels Church.

The Times newspaper printed an article entitled 'Church of the White Star Line faces Titanic Battle to survive' for its Tuesday 7th May publication. The church being St Mary of the Angels Fox Street, Liverpool. St Mary of the Angels Church, was built on the site of Richmond Fair (also known as Richmond Woollen Hall) in 1910. Richmond Woollen Mill dates back to 1787 and was for the sale of Yorkshire Woollen Goods. It fell into disuse by 1875.

The church was built for the Franciscans in 1910 by Amy Elizabeth Imrie, who was the heiress to the famous White Star Shipping Company which built the Titanic. Amy Elizabeth Imrie said, "Liverpool people could never afford to go to Rome", so she decided to bring a bit of Rome to Liverpool.

The church was run by the Franciscan Order of monks and became known as 'The Friary'. In 1979 the Franciscans gave the church to the catholic archdiocese of Liverpool.

The church which, closed in December 2001 has a Grade 2 Listing and efforts are being made to keep the fittings intact and in place.

The statue figures of St Francis, St Anthony, St Elizabeth and St Clare which are sited in St Mary of the Angels church, were designed by Professor Carisi of Rome. The Cipollino columns as well as the coloured marbles completing the altar are of the rarest kind. The balustrade of alabaster together with the pavement of the sanctuary formerly belonged to the Church of St Nicholas in Carcere in Rome and are regarded as relics of the Eternal City.

The imposing High Altar is of the style which, belongs to the sixteenth century and originally stood in Bologna Cathedral and was dedicated to St Anne. The oil painting pictured is a faithful copy of Perugino's "Our Lady of the Angels" in the famous gallery of Bologna.

The front altar, originally the church pulpit, pictured above is composed of antique marble and is of Roman Gothic design, rarely seen outside Italy. It is stated on the authority of a chronicler whose testimony has never been proved inaccurate, that many saints, including St Ignatius of Loyola, St Philip Neri and St Charles Borrommeo have not only offered up High Mass at the High Altar in St Mary of the Angels but have preached from this pulpit.

There is still however a great concern regarding the church closure and for the future of the fittings and fixtures within the church.

The Times reports the archdiocese is now seeking listed building consent from Liverpool City Council to put the more vulnerable of these fittings - Stations of the Cross, pews, statues, tabernacle, baptismal font, paintings and holy water stoops - in storage in the crypt of the city's Roman Catholic Cathedral.

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