| Princethorpe hosts Memorial Service for Fr Bill Clarkson MSC |
 There was a fantastic turnout for Fr Bill Clarkson's Memorial Service at Princethorpe College, Warwickshire, England, on Sunday 19 April. Fr Bill, who died on March 3rd in Galway, Ireland, had been associated with Princethorpe from its very beginning in 1966 (and at St Bede's school in Leamington from 1960). Bill was Headmaster of Princethorpe from 1969 to 1981 when he took up the position of Deputy Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Dublin. Princethorpe hosts Memorial Service for Fr Bill Clarkson MSCThere was a fantastic turnout for Fr Bill Clarkson's Memorial Service at Princethorpe College, Warwickshire, England, on Sunday 19 April. Fr Bill, who died on March 3rd in Galway, Ireland, had been associated with Princethorpe from its very beginning in 1966 (and at St Bede's school in Leamington from 1960). Bill was Headmaster of Princethorpe from 1969 to 1981 when he took up the position of Deputy Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Dublin.  Some of the Old Princethorpians who attended the memorial service Some 120 Old Princethorpians attended the memorial service from far and wide, many returning for the first time since leaving the College. Many warm words were spoken and stories told about "The Boss' as Fr Bill was known by many of the old boys. The service in the Chapel was led by Fr Pat Courtney MSC (current Provincial Superior), Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC (current Parish Priest of St Anne's, Wappenbury and past maths teacher and Director of Boarding at Princethorpe), and Fr Alan Whelan MSC (currently Head of Religious Studies at Princethorpe and a past Headmaster). The mass was followed by lunch and the chance to tour the school with some of the current prefects. The sun shone and though there were moments of sadness, the overall sentiment of the day was of pleasure in each other's company and rekindling of old friendships. Fr Bill would have approved! The following are but a few of the many comments left by Old Princethorpians at the memorial Service: "I would like to attend this memorial service in honour of a great headmaster." "In many places a memorial service would be a sad occasion, but as ever, the school and the OPs with hope and friendship turned it in to one of celebration and joy which Bill would thoroughly approved of. He was with us in spirit." "We all thoroughly enjoyed the day and all are so glad we attended." |