Mother Mary More
Mother More is known for being the seventh Prioress at the Priory of Nazareth and leading her community through crises during the reign of Joseph II[1] and the French Revolution.
[2] The convent was politically active throughout the eighteenth century and financially supported Prince Charles Edward Stuart as he tried to reclaim the English Throne in 1745, as well as the Patriots of Brabant against Emperor Joseph II.
[2] In September 1772, under Emperor Joseph II, the Austrian government enforced the suppression of the Society of Jesus by Pope Clement XIV.
The Commissioners held the masters and superiors while they gave the lay brothers the option of staying in confinement or leaving the town within twenty-four hours.
[3] Mother More was, however, “obliged to send away two from other Order who had sought refuge with them with great regret.”[4] In 1781 Joseph II took control of the Carmelites, Carthusians and Poor Clares in Bruges.
[6] “Mother More’s resolute leadership is the reason that the community survived as the only English convent remaining in mainland Europe.”[6] In November 1790, Bruges was liberated from Imperial forces by the Patriots of Brabant, but it soon fell once again to the Emperor.
Mother More gave shelter to French refugees, including the “cure of Longuenesse and four Benedictine nuns of Montargis, sister of Lady Jerningham.
With England and France at war, the nuns were worried and aware that the French might re-take Bruges, so Mother More made sure she and her community were ready to leave.
More was extremely happy with the placement saying, “that the house resembles a convent by having cloisters below and galleries above.”[9] More and the rest of the community began furnishing the estate by making makeshift beds and furniture.
However, upon realizing they had not gotten to London, she made inquiries and discovered that Bruges was full of French troops and the nuns would be unable to leave or stay in contact.
Beginning in the summer of 1795, with the help of Sir Thomas Gage and the urging of Mother More, Hengrave Hall was renovated in order to complete and improve the chapel and donations began coming in from local citizens.
They donated an organ, candlesticks, food, wine, hourglasses, cooking supplies, and money to make or mend their habits.
However, because laws made under the rule of Charles II in 1660 to re-establish the position of the Church of England, government officials inquired about whether the convent had received any new members, which was not allowed.
Local people would miss 'the courtesy shown to their visitors by the sequestered females and their amiable patroness, Mrs. More'.”[11] On their journey back, no one would allow Mother More to pay for lodging, showing her great respect.
(picture- https://francisyoung.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/more-inscription.jpg) “The convent annals record that 'nature had endowed her with a fine intelligence, capable of grasping great things as well as little ones .
She was able to adapt herself with ease to every situation, not without that sense of humour common to her race and reminiscent of her illustrious ancestor, St Thomas More.’”[15] Francis Young wrote, “The memory of Mother More and of her community's sometimes mundane but nevertheless heroic struggle to maintain its ancient form of life in the face of persecution and indifference is preserved both at Bruges and Hengrave.”
