Edward Caswell enters Birmingham Oratory

Contributed by Valerie Kerslake for St Peter's Church Millennium Festival, 2000

After months of deep thought and prayer, Caswall, now aged 35, applied to enter the Oratory Order at Birmingham as a novice and joined Newman there on Good Friday 1850. Two years later he was ordained priest and became known as Father Edward. Newman had been commissioned by the Pope after his ordination in Rome a few years earlier to establish an Oratory in England similar to that founded in Rome by St Philip Neri in the 16th century. Like the original, it was a community of priests who were bound by no religious vows and were free to leave if they wished. Each had to contribute financially to the upkeep of the house, and each took part in its religious and domestic duties, as well as tending the sick and poor. There was leisure for private study, and, in the Oratory at Rome at least, music played a very large part (hence oratorio).

In the period between his wife's death and his joining the Order, Caswall set up a chantry bequest and also made a substantial financial gift to the Oratory. Funds were low at the time and Newman expressed enormous gratitude. He found Caswall to have a great deal of practical ability and entrusted him with financial affairs concerning the Oratory. Others too spoke of the precision and order with which he carried out everything he undertook, as well as of his unfailing kindness.

Caswall remained at the Oratory until his death nearly thirty years later and was one of its chief supports, much loved in the poor Birmingham parish, and especially concerned for children and for the youngsters who came to the Saturday evening "youth oratories." Now that he was a Roman Catholic he wrote many more original poems and hymns which appeared — and still do — in Catholic hymn-books but which were usually considered doctrinally unacceptable for Anglican ones. Some, however, can be found in both, such as the Christmas hymn See amid the winter snow, while very many of his translations appear in hymn-books of all denominations. He published in 1859 The Masque of Mary which as well as the opening poem contained 53 translations and 51 original hymns concerning the role of Mary in the church, and seven years later, A May Pageant which included ten original hymns.

NEXT: Hymns Ancient & Modern