Father John Mary (Gerald) Griffin CP; born August 14, 1920, died May 9, 1998
FATHER John Mary Griffin founded the first old people's day centre in the west of Scotland. Walking home one afternoon in the early 1960s through his parish in Glasgow's Townhead - at that time reputed to be the most densely populated district in Europe - he was struck by the number of poorly-dressed old men and women, standing at closes or leaning out of upstairs windows. His desire to improve what we today would call their quality of life became focused after a visit to Lambs House in Leith, where a day centre for retired people had recently been set up.
Born in Portobello, Gerald Griffin spent most of his life in Glasgow. After attending St Aloysius College, he worked for a short spell in the civil service before entering the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, receiving the name John Mary. Apart from three years as director of students at the Passionist seminar at Dankeith, Ayrshire, and a two-year spell preaching retreats in southern Africa, he spent all of his 52 years as a priest as a member of the Passionist Community at St Mungo's Retreat, Glasgow, and was Rector of St Mungo's from 1959 to 1965.
In October, 1963, he opened the St Mungo's Old Folks Club to provide hot meals, keep-fit, arts and crafts, and dancing classes, and also hot baths
and laundry facilities, both of
these offering elderly tenement-dwellers an alternative to the kitchen sink. Help was given
by an army of volunteers, in
the beginning drawn mainly from the Union of Catholic Mothers and the Women's Royal Voluntary Services. The club grew to have more than 800 members from Townhead and beyond. A sign of its success is that we no longer think of how revolutionary such a venture was 35 years ago.
Expert advice on the provision of care for the elderly was given by the late Dr Aloysius Dunn and Professor Sir William Ferguson Anderson, both of whom held office as chairman of the club's management committee. Dick Buchanan, the former MP for Springburn, followed Sir William as the club's chairman; he, in turn, handed over to the present chairman, Dr James W Davie. Working alongside the chairman, Father John Mary continued to guide and inspire by his enthusiasm and his imagination.
From the beginning, Father John saw the old folk's club as an ecumenical venture. The support of Dr William Morris, minister at Glasgow Cathedral, ensured that members and helpers were drawn from all sides of the community.
The publication of the Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism in 1964 opened up the possibility of a monthly ecumenical service, the first of which was given by Dr Morris and Father John Mary; the Rev David McGregor and, since Mr McGregor's retirement, the Rev Frank Grimstone, both associate ministers at the Cathedral, have ensured that the monthly ecumenical service continues at the day centre to this day.
Father John Mary served over the years on a number of committees for the elderly, including the Council of Social Service, the Glasgow Old People's Welfare Committee, and Age Concern. The contribution made by the centre he founded was given public recognition in 1971 when its convener, Bridie Connell, was named as Scotswoman of the Year, and again in 1979 when Mrs Connell received the MBE.
Father John himself preferred to avoid public recognition for his contribution, knowing that the work of the centre mattered far more than any honour he might be due.
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