The Parish of St. Mary Magdalene was established in 1893 by a religious order of priests and brothers called The Institute of Charity - better known as The Rosminians, after the name of their saintly founder Antonio Rosmini.

Foundation of the Bexhill Mission

The foundation of the Parish of St. Mary Magdalene was entrusted to the Institute of Charity. Nine years after their arrival at Tilbury, the Rosminians had opened a Public School at Ratcliffe College near Leicester in 1844. It was originally intended to be a Novitiate House - near to Loughborough, the scene of their early missionary work. But it soon became clear to Gentili and Rosmini that, with university education closed to all Catholics at this time, there was a need for a college in this area to prepare young men for business and the professions.

The first pupil to be admitted to the new College was a young man called John Foy. Some years later he was ordained priest for the Southwark Diocese. His parish extended from Eastbourne in the west to Lydd in the east, and as far inland as Wadhurst. He retired in September 1893 and moved from St. Leonards to Bexhill where he died in July 1894.

Fr. Foy was evidently quite a forceful character, controversial at times, and quite prepared to appear on political platforms to argue the issues of the day. He caused some local consternation when, at the general election of 1880, he publicly transferred his support for the Liberals to the Conservatives. He appears to have been a natural leader and a guiding force in the young community with an acknowledged influence in the religious life of East Sussex.

At this time Bishop Butt of the Southwark Diocese was asked by Father Foy if the Rosminians could be invited to take over the Mission of Bexhill. Father Foy had come to know the Rosminians while he was a student at Ratcliffe. For his part, Father Lockhart had happy memories of this part of the country - he had lived with his mother in Hastings as a young man after the death of his father.

So the mission was begun. It was named after Father Lockhart's Oxford College - Saint Mary Magdalen. The early work was entrusted to Father Richard Bone and Father Ward. They bought the site for the Church and Mission from Mr Young who drew up the plans.

When the building was completed the first mass was celebrated in the Chapel, which was intended to be a future schoolroom (now the Church Hall) on July 13th 1893. Father Bone was the Celebrant and Mr Edward Belasis, of the Lancaster Herald, was the server. The institute of Charity had arrived in Bexhill and the association remains unbroken to this day. Thanks be to God!