Our Lady Of Consolation Bonnyrigg Midlothian

Welcome to St Matthew's RC Parish

We are a vibrant and welcoming community of faithful followers in Christ. Our mission is to spread His love and teachings through worship, sacraments, and service.

We offer Mass throughout the week, with confession available.

Whether you’re a long-time parishioner or a newcomer seeking spiritual guidance, we invite you to join us in our journey of faith.

 

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What's in a name?

There is evidence to show that, towards the end of the Middle Ages, Scotland received a number of Devotions to Our Lady from Italy and Rome. The people who brought these Devotional practices into Scotland were pilgrims, or ecclesiastics who had resided in some official capacity, at a Roman Curia. One can discern an extremely clear example of such devotional infiltration in the career of Robert Blacader, who was Archbishop of Glasgow from 1483 to 1508. In the mid-15th century, in Rome, there existed a painting of the Madonna by a little known artist named Antonazzo. This painting was in the wall of a portico in a granary belonging to the Mattei family near the Campadoglio. Sometime shortly before 1470, this picture of the Madonna came into prominence. It was said that a woman, whose son was about to be put to death for a crime of which he was innocent, knelt in prayer - anguished prayer - before this picture and the Madonna spoke to her and did console her with assurance that her son would be saved from the gallows. News of the miracles spread through the city and the picture, now called Our Lady of Consolation - became famous. People flocked to pray before the picture, miracles were attributed to the Madonna of the Consolation; a Confraternity was formed and entrusted with the care of the picture, and popular piety built a Church to enshrine it. That was in 1470.

During this time, when the enthusiasm for the Madonna of the Consolation was in its first fervour, the future archbishop of Glasgow, Robert Blacader, was in Rome. He is referred to as the Scots King's "messenger" in the letter of Pope Paul II to King James III, dated 11 April 1471. Later, between 1476 and 1478, Fr Blacader acquired the Church of Lasswade in 1476 and soon his devotion to the Madonna of the Consolation became manifest, for on 11 March 1477-78, Pope Sixtus IV granted a petition, submitted by Blacader, and issued a Bull of Foundation for Pilgrims, Sick Folk and Poor People as needed care .............." and the Pope decreed that the hospital should be dedicated, as the petitioner, Fr Blacader, had requested, to our Lady of Consolation.

This is the earliest appearance of any dedication to Our Lady of Consolation in Scotland, and there seems little doubt that it is entirely due to the personal devotion of Robert Blacader.

This is the background to the title of our church in Bonnyrigg.

Looking Back

At one time, Bonnyrigg parish was geographically split in two with half of the residents being registered in St. Matthew's at Rosewell and the other half in St David's, Dalkeith, although most apparently attended Mass at Nazareth House. The children therefore attended St. Matthew's or St David's schools at that time. With public transport limited, parishioners often walked the back road to St. Matthew's for Mass.

In the late1940's, the parishioners asked the Diocese to build a church in Bonnyrigg. However, as this was just after the war, it was deemed more important to build housing so they were told a church would have to wait. After all, people make a church, not a building. Then in the 1950's there was an influx of Catholics to Bonnyrigg from the West of Scotland, as people came through to work in the coal mines.

It was at this time that Fr. McArdle was appointed to form a church in the area and he moved into a house in Park Road which had been donated to the parish of Bonnyrigg. He had a German housekeeper who was reputedly a very formidable lady to get past! Fr. McArdle started a building fund for a church, but at this time parishioners were allowed to go to Mass in the old Royal Picture House in Bonnyrigg. All sorts of events were organised by the men and women of the parish in order to raise funds, raffles, whist drives (no Bingo then!), hostess parties, and of course, weekly household collections of cash. It is thanks to all their efforts we have a church today.

It was a wonderful day when Archbishop Gordon Gray officially opened our lady of Consolation in 1957. Priests appointed following Fr. McArdle's time were Fr. Gallagher, Fr. Carey, Fr. Hendry and Fr. McMahon. Monsignor Hyland was also a frequent visitor to the parish, helping out in a variety of ways. Fr. Gallagher was instrumental in bringing a Catholic school to Bonnyrigg, as he was an influential figure on the Education Committee, and Bonnyrigg Primary School became St. Mary's. People felt Fr. Gallagher had a six sense in knowing when someone felt down. He always had a comforting word for them, even if it was at Communion during mass.

In July 1967 a Silver Jubilee Concert was staged by the children of St. Mary's School at Lasswade High School. The event was followed by a social evening in the Masonic Hall. In 1990, it was necessary to combine the parishes of Bonnyrigg and Rosewell into Our lady of consolation and St. Matthew. A great debt of gratitude is due to Canon White for his efforts in achieving this so successfully.

Memories

Anna Rose recalls when dances were held in the church. She says, "There was no licensed bar in those days, so the men often went over to the Staiside for a drink. St Patrick's Night dances were popular, but after Fr. Gallagher arrived and statues wee put into the church, the dances stopped, perhaps due the fact there was no bar and perhaps the feeling that it was disrespectful." There were Sunday house to house collections by Naish Gavin, Tim Canon, Mick Jones, James Scott and Hughie Jack among others. Anna remembers Mick called to collect 2/6d but everyone gave what they could afford. Contributions rose around the time of the store "divi", when parishioners had a little more cash to spare. The collections lasted until Fr. Gallagher arrived in the parish.

St. Mary's School, with headmaster Mr. Carney, also helped raise funds through fetes and sales of work, and a young Women's Guild was formed to build up a sense of community, with Beetle and Whist Drives held and a St. Vincent de Paul Society was also formed.

Some time after the church opened, Anna recalls a flood under the church and the men of the parish had to attend with picks and shovels in hand, go under the church and help to pump out water and make repairs to the foundations.

Naish Gavin well remembers attending mass in the Picture house, where the congregation were asked to raise their hands if they wished to take Communion. And the day the Foundation Stone was laid it was pouring with rain! Lots of events seem to be associated with heavy rainfall, a trait that continues to this day. Naish also recalls badminton being played in the church the seats being put back against the walls. The church cost £29,000 to build, which takes Naish back to the collections Anna remembered. He recalled, "The highlight of these has to be the day I was bitten Mrs Paton's dog, but undeterred, I was back there the following week for the 2/-!"

Eddie Hegarty's favourite recollection is of the day he and others were erecting the fence around the church. In the process of mixing cement, he took a pail, conveniently already containing water, from the vestry. Some time later, Fr. Gallagher was to be heard enquiring, "Where has the Holy Water gone?" The fence truly is blessed!