Friday, October 23, 2009

Fr John Grumitt S.J. "Rest In Peace"

Fr John Grumitt SJ, died at Boscombe on 19th October 2009, suddenly and unexpectedly after being mildly ill. Fr Grumitt was the last Jesuit Head of Mount St Mary’s and will be very well and fondly remembered by OMs of that time (1976 – 1990).

May he rest in Peace.

The arrangements for Fr Grumitt’s funeral are as follows:

  • Reception of the body to Farm Street Church at 5.30 pm on Monday 26th October;
  • Requiem Mass at Farm Street Church on Tuesday 27th at 11.00 am; followed by a reception in the Parish Hall;
  • Fr Bertie Banyard SJ will be the preacher;
  • All welcome.

· The Mount St Mary’s community will be paying its respects in several ways:

· Sunday Mass on 25th October 2009 will be offered for the repose of his Soul. The Mass, at 10.30 am in the Memorial Chapel, is being celebrated as part of the Mount Association annual reunion weekend, and many former pupils will be present. All are welcome to attend.

· The Chair of Governors, The Headmaster, the Head Boy and Head Girl will represent the College at the Requiem Mass at Farm Street on Tuesday.

· On return from Half Term, the Whole School Mass on Monday 2nd Nov at 11.50 will be offered for him; all are welcome to attend.

· In consultation with Fr Grumitt’s family and the Society, as well as the Mount Association, details about a memorial mass at the Mount will be communicated in due course.

Please remember Fr Grumitt in your prayers

Paula Gray
Director of Sport’s PA/Alumni Secretary
Mount St Mary’s College, Spinkhill

Link (here)

Teachers and staff at Mount St Mary's College in Derbyshire have paid tribute to former head teacher Fr John Grumitt SJ who has died aged 79.

Fr Grumitt, who was head at the Spinkhill school from 1976 to 1990, is remembered with affection by long-serving staff.

The last Jesuit head at Mount St Mary's, Fr Grumitt was renowned locally for his unique and eccentric teaching style and character.

During meetings with staff about school issues, teachers would emerge having listened to what was on Fr Grumitt's mind - and forgetting what had been on theirs!

He drove a well-loved RS2 Cosworth Turbo car - an unusual choice for a priest but indicative of Fr Grumitt's great passion for technology.

In the Jesuit spirit of 'men and women for others', he was generous with the money he had inherited through a family trust fund, installing a television studio and an electronic notice board at the school to display sports match results and pupils' birthdays.

He indulged his love of gadgets at Mount St Mary's, installing a filming tower on the middle rugby flats, which meant matches could be filmed then edited in school, an unusual feature for a school in the eighties.

It was not only technology that fascinated Fr Grumitt. 'Hawk Mews', at the top of the Mount's St Mary's distinctive Pineapple Tower, is named after the bird that Fr Grumitt kept at the Tower.

'Grumbo', as he was known, was loved for his little acts of kindness, even driving to a nearby town to buy a replacement projector bulb so a teacher's lesson could go ahead as planned.

Laurence McKell, head teacher of Mount St Mary's, said: "The affection in which Fr Grumitt was held by all who knew him during his time as headmaster is obvious from the phone calls and emails we have received from former teachers, pupils and parents since news of his sudden death was announced.

"He had a great love for the school and took a real interest in developing talents. He was a truly unique character and he will be sadly missed by many.".

Link (here)

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