Robert's books a welcome addition to Monastery library
The Reverend Robert England was a gifted academic scholar, an excellent conversationalist and was a person who encouraged others in both his preaching and research. Sadly Robert died in February 2005 after a period of illness. During his lifetime he had accumulated a considerable library which his sister, Beatrice and brother-in-law George Fogarty decided should not be broken up but rather that a new home should be sought for the collection. Bishop Harold Miller suggested that the books would be a welcome addition to the library being built up by the Benedictine monks at Rostrevor.
This was an excellent choice which Robert would have been very happy with as he had been a frequent visitor to a Benedictine monastery in Trier in Germany, where he had originally been sent as an able scholar by the Archbishop of Canterbury to study the theology of Hans Kung. Brother Thierry Marteaux from the Benedictine Monastery in Rostrevor undertook the job of relocating the books and George and Bishop Harold were invited along to the Monastery recently to see Robert’s books in their new surroundings.
Robert, who was born on the day World War II started, studied at Trinity College, Dublin. His sister, Beatrice, recalls that at a young age he often entertained the family by standing on a chair behind a piano pretending that he was a preacher and using the piano as a pulpit! He was a gifted language student, and such was his level of achievement that he was awarded the honour of ‘Scholar of Trinity College’ which is only reserved for an elite group of academics!
He served his first curacy in Raheny, Dublin, and then for Irish Church Mission, where he was a curate alongside the present Dean of Down Cathedral, the Very Rev John Dinnen. They shared a common interest in the study of the Reformed faith and the theology of Karl Barth.
After completing his Master of Theology degree Robert became an R E teacher, teaching in Belfast Royal Academy and then later was appointed as Head of the R E Department at Regent House School in Newtownards.