View from the High Altar
View towards the High Altar
View from Kilmahew House
Your Memories
I was a student at St Peter's College from August 1965
to November 1967. My first year was spent at the house
at Darleth and I entered the new college in 1966 as
one of the first students to take possion of the the
new college building design as were many Catholic Churches
by Mr Coia in the late 50' and early 60's. Even as it
was being built , it was already out of date due to
the the second vatican council. You can clearly see
evidence of this if you descend behind the high alter
where you will see a large number of indivdual alters
cast in concrete but never finished as the council brought
in the idea of concelebration of a mass by all the priests
present as a congregation. Coia seems to have had a
fixation with underfloor heating ( See St Martins in
Castlemilk) but he always buried it so deep under the
floor that it was usless. In Cadross the bottom floor
used glass as the the wall giving you the impression
that you were out while being. In truth in the winter
you could not survive within six feet of the glas as
it was not double glazed as this area was alwas cold.
If you wish any more detil about Cardross I should
be happy to supply you with any detail I can still remenber.
Can you tell me if the Japanese gardens laid out in
the golry days of Kilmahew House still exist
Charles McLaughlin [29/09/2003]
I studied there in 1967-68.
We were a small Italian group studying Theology there.
It is sad to see the current situation of the building.
Giuseppe Spagnolo [08/11/2003]
I was a student in St. Peter's Cardross, from September
1971 - June 1972. It was by far, the strangest building
I have ever lived in. Given the nature of its purpose,
to train candidates for the Catholic Priesthood, it
was the type of place that if you wanted to be a Priest,
you were likely to find it okay. If you had difficulties
in deciding on a vocation, the building could have an
effect on your decision. Some people were quite happy
living there.
I remember visiting there, in the summer prior to going
there. I wished I had not done that, as I disliked the
building immediately.
I think it was supposed to be designed in the shape
of a ship, (The Barque of Peter.) Looking at the photgraphs
of it now, reminds me of looking at pictures of sunken
ships, like the Titanic. At least it landed longer than
the Titanic!
I think part of the reason for its size was the hope
that it would become a National Major Seminary. It was
also designed when vocations to the Priesthood were
very high.
Gerry Hendry [26/12/2003]
Your facts are certainly not accurate when you describethe
students' rooms as 'cells'. Cells are part of monastic
life, whereas Cardross existed to train diocesan clergy.
Graham Bell [30/12/2003]
There can be no excuse for disgraceful state of the
altar in the old St Peter's
College. Try explaining to anyone with any intelligence
what Catholics believe occurred on that altar - even
if Our Lord was made present there even once only -
and they'd rightly laugh scornfully.
I see these photos of a derelict and neglected college
as truly symbolic of the dire state of the Church in
Scotland itself.
St John Ogilve, pray for us.
Patricia McKeever [10/04/2004]
Hi there Patricia!
> There can be no excuse for disgraceful state
of the altar in the old St Peter's College.
Why ? It is an abondoned building. It was deconsecrated
in accordance with Catholic procedure just before it's
doors were locked for the last time.
> Try explaining to anyone with any intelligence
what Catholics believe occurred on that altar - even
if Our Lord was made present there even once only -
and they'd rightly laugh scornfully.
Catholics (To the best of my knowledge) don't place
any significance to the altar in particular. Also, point
A this site has been de-consecrated and so where is
your point ?
> I see these photos of a derelict and neglected
college as truly symbolic of the dire state of the Church
in Scotland itself.
That would be an ecumenical matter. If the church is
in a dire state it may be because people are fed up
of beliving in some divine, all powerfull imaginary
friend and I don't think the state of repair of a long
abandoned building has any bearing, do you ?
Chris... [11/01/2004]
I live in Cardross and not far from the old college.
I moved to Cardross 20 years ago and still there is
a feeling about the old place. The place holds fascination
to me still and I still go looking around and inside
the building.
However I can honestly say that there is ALMOST no
where that I have not yet managed to adventure around
the old college.
But there is some places still left in the old ruins
that even now I will never go near for there is certain
dread near these places. How this could have been a
place of God I will never know as there is no good feelings
left in any of the buildings. I guess there has been
too many bad things happening in there.
If anyone would like any new pictures of the old building
as it is now please tell me and I will happily take
some and forward to you. Even of some of the places
that had no good vibes left to worship near.
What is OPUS DEI?
Stephen [15/02/2004]
I lived in Cardross during the Eighties and as a young
teenager visited the place occasionally. At that time
access to the building was nigh on impossible as all
the windows and doors were shuttered or barred, there
was also a caretaker. I gained entry on occasion accompanied
by some friends under the watchfull eye of the caretaker.
It was a trully awesome place. I remember a lot of the
little rooms still had papyrus made crosses pinned to
their walls. The current state is completely shocking.
As for the previous listed comment I am unsure as to
who the author is but I must admit that his descriptions
of the "aura" in certain parts of the grounds
is not far off the mark.
I would also like to dedicate a small remembrance to
a friend whom sadly decided to hang himself in the grounds
of the college in the eighties. May he rest in peace,
he was known as "nipper".
Andy [01/03/2004]
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