St. Aidan's College, Grahamstown, Cape Colony

Abstract

THE Rt. Rev. Dr. Ricards, late Bishop of Retimo, who since 1845 had been a missionary in Cape Colony, was ·chosen in 187 I to succeed Dr. Moran as Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District of the Colony. With characteristic energy he used his utmost endeavours to further the interests of religion in his Vicariate, but the task seemed' an all but impossible one. He had only, five Priests at his disposal for the whole extent of his diocese, and seeing little or no chance of increasing their number in Africa he came to Europe in search of a Slupply of apostolic labourers. In this he was fairly successful, for he obtained from Rev. Fr. Beckx, then General of the Society of Jesus, 'eight Jesuits-five Priests and three lay-Brothers- six of whom belonged to the English Province, viz., Frs. Walter Bridge, John Lea, Amgustus Law, and Bros. Penny, Sanguinetti, Bash.Two secular Priests and some Nuns were also amongst those who, in Sept., 1875, left England with Dr. Ricards, and disembarked a month later at Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay.-With these reinforcements the Bishop was able to start a work of vital importance for religion in South Africa, viz., St. Aidan's College 1 at Grahamstown