Chelsea: A house of history
Inconspicuous from the road, quiet and tranquil amidst the busyness and bustle of Chelsea lies Allen Hall and its seminary community. It is easy to understand how the house might be overlooked by passers by, yet the staff and students that live here are immersed in a rich heritage, surrounded by history. Our tradition is threefold and a true blessing, greatly appreciated by those of us discerning our vocation to the priesthood within the walls of Allen Hall.
St Thomas More
Thomas More, scholar, statesman and saint, bought 27 acres of land in Chelsea in the year 1524, for the grand sum of £30. On this land he ordered construction of "The Great House," where he lived with his family until his arrest in 1534. Allen Hall is situated in the grounds of St Thomas's Chelsea home.
In his early years More was attracted to the discipline, austerity and piety of the Carthusian brothers, but eventually decided he was called to the married life. He trained as a lawyer and was passionate about public service. Noted as an intellectual, particularly for his defence of the Catholic faith following Luther's attack on the Church, and renowned for his honesty and integrity, he rose quickly in public office. Eventually he was made Lord Chancellor by Henry VIII in 1529 – the first layman to ever hold this position.
St Thomas eventually resigned as Chancellor in 1532 following King Henry's divorce of Catherine of Aragon. He found it impossible to support the declaration of Henry as Supreme Head of the Church in England, and formally refusing to swear the Supremacy Oath, was arrested and taken to the Tower of London. More conducted his own defence at his trial, but in 1535 was found guilty of treason and executed.
Thomas More was canonized on 19th May 1935 by Pope Pius XI, along with John Fisher. Pope John Paul II declared him the patron saint of statesmen and politicians on 31st October 2000. Now, nearly 500 years after he gave his life in defence of the Catholic faith, St Thomas's house is the home to our community of men in training for the Catholic priesthood. His legacy and witness, and his prayer, are the source of immense encouragement to us.
Convent of Marie Réparatrice
In 1898 sisters from the Congregation of Adoration Réparatrice arrived in Chelsea. Established throughout France, a visit to the mother-house of the order impressed Cardinal Vaughan so much that he requested they found a convent in London. Fr Kenelm Vaughan, the Cardinal's brother, donated his property in Beaufort Street to the community.
These contemplative sisters, dedicated to offering "adoration and reparation" to God, knelt in prayer night and day before the exposed Blessed Sacrament. In a testament to the times, the sisters in Chelsea were particularly concerned with prayer for the conversion of England, and Pope Leo XIII in his blessing for the English foundation affirmed this desire, "You are a Contemplative Order of prayer. You ought to convert England. I bless you for that."
That Allen Hall has for so long been a place of adoration and prayer bolsters us in our own devotion to the Lord, whose will in our lives we seek.
The Douai Tradition
In 1975 seminarians moved into Allen Hall from Ware in Hertfordshire, bringing with them a tradition going back to Douai in 1568. The witness of the martyrs of Douai is both a constant challenge and encouragement to those of us who are now discerning that same vocation to serve the Lord and his people.
To be a part of the community of Allen Hall is to be immersed in this rich tradition, and to be inspired anew day by day by those who have gone before us. We pray that we too may be such worthy witnesses to the faith.