FATHER CHARLES BROWN S J

Charles Brown was in fact, the alias of Fr Charles Gwynne. Like most priests in England during Penal Times, he refrained from using his real name for safety reasons. He sometimes used the names of ‘Bodvel’ or ‘Bodwell’. Charles Gwynne was born in 1582, the son of Thomas Wynn of Boduan, Pwllheli, and Elizabeth, daughter of Owen ap Gruffydd of Plas Du. They brought up their son Charles in the Protestant religion. While on a visit to his mother’s brother, Hugh Owen, in Brussels, Charles was reconciled to the Catholic Church by Fr J Chambers. Charles entered the English College in Rome and was ordained there in 1613. He became a Jesuit in 1620.

In 1623, Fr Brown was sent on the Welsh mission of St Francis Xavier. In 1625 he became its Rector, succeeding Fr John Salisbury, and was instrumental in establishing the mission’s headquarters at the Cwm, Llanrothal. The Morgans of Llantarnam were generous benefactors. Fr Brown secured from his uncle, Hugh Owen, funds for maintaining a Welsh scholar at Rome. Coincidentally, it was this fund which made it possible for Fr Brown to enable a future Rector, David Lewis, to enter the English College in 1638. (David Lewis was martyred in 1679 and canonised in 1970.)

In 1618, Fr Brown inherited Hugh Owen’s fortune. To commemorate his munificent uncle, Fr Brown erected a tablet to his memory at the English College in Rome.

Fr Charles Brown was another Welsh Jesuit who, under hazardous circumstances, played a major part in the life of the Cwm and the continuance of the Catholic Faith in Wales. This dedicated priest died in 1647.

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FR IGNATIUS PRICE S J

THE JESUIT COLLEGE AT THE CWM

FR CHARLES PRITCHARD

VIR PRUDENS ET PIUS

ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE IN HONOUR OF ST DAVID LEWIS

SUNDAY, 29th AUGUST 2010

3:00 p m - MASS AT SS FRANCIS XAVIER AND DAVID LEWIS CHURCH, PORTH-Y-CARNE STREET, USK

PROCESSION TO THE MARTYR'S GRAVE

REFRESHMENTS IN THE PARISH HALL