Mgr report

Monsignor John Elliott, RIP

4th June 1931 - 25th December 2011

It was with sadness that, on Christmas Day 2011, Fr Bryan Wells reported the death of Monsignor John Elliott, who had died in the Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough, earlier that morning. Monsignor had been Parish Priest of St James the Great, Petts Wood from 1978-2006. May he rest in peace.

Monsignor's body was received into the church of St James' at 5.30pm on Thursday 19th January. The coffin was borne by six young men of the parish. Monsignor Nicholas Rothon spoke about his long friendship with John, formed when they were students of the Royal English College, Valladolid in Spain.

The Requiem Mass took place on Friday 20th January at 12 noon. Archbishop Peter Smith presided and Mass was concelebrated with Archbishop Emeritus Michael Bowen, Bishop Patrick Lynch, Bishop Paul Hendricks, Bishop Emeritus Howard Tripp, the Dean of Bromley, Canon Tom McHugh, and more than 50 priests of the diocese of Southwark. They were assisted by Deacon Duncan Aitkins of St Joseph's Bromley and servers from St James'. Fr George Webster, another fellow student at Valladolid, gave the homily in which he outlined the 53 years of John's life as a priest. The order of service can be seen here and photographs can be seen here.

There was a retiring collection for Great Ormond Street Hospital, in accordance with Monsignor's wishes. After Mass there was a buffet in the Social Centre, prepared by ladies of the parish. Monsignor's body was taken later for cremation at Beckenham.