From Against the Odds pdf
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During the War years, fears for the
safety of the FCJs in Europe were uppermost in the minds of the
Hollies’ Community. Throughout their Retreats and holidays, they
looked for news brought to them by visiting Superiors and the FCJs’s
written annals, which were eagerly awaited at the beginning of a new
year.
In 1917 they had news of several FCJs escaping from
‘unhappy Belgium’.
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| Donner residence, Ashfields, Oak Drive |
In the severe wartime
winter of 1917, there were difficulties in obtaining coke. One
Protestant neighbour [Lady Elizabeth Donner] offered all she had in her cellar, ‘sufficient to
tide us over’. When thanked for her kindness, the neighbour replied
‘It is I who should thank you, you have left my cellar in such good
order.’ Another time when the coal arrived, on account of a shortage
of labour to carry it from the tradesman’s entrance to the cellar, the
nuns set about the work themselves. Lady Donner appeared, saying
‘This is not work for you ladies, but it is very edifying to see you do
it.’ She then sent her gardener over to finish the work. The Convent
School did not want for anything; in spite of the scarcity of
provision, ‘friends seemed so generous’.
At the close of the year, in spite of the threat of
Zeppelins and brilliant moonlight, their Chaplain arrived punctually
at midnight to celebrate three masses for them on Christmas Eve.
