The Monk And Maid...(1926).
This is a wonderful love story between Father Andrew (John Enright) who was a minister at the Presbyterian Church, Subiaco and Miss Gertrude Lee.
The article is from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
Daily News, 8 December 1926.
A Romance Recalled
THAT EXCITED AUSTRALIA
Rev. J. Enright Passes
True romance, so seldom found in life, but which in this instance was fanned strongly by the winds of love until a monk and a maid were brought together, the former forsaking forever his celibate's life, is recalled by the announcement yesterday of the death in New Zealand on December 4 of the Rev. John Enright, one time minister of the Presbyterian Church, Subiaco.
The story of Father Andrew (John Enright) and Miss Gertrude Lee is an engrossing one. Twenty-four years ago while engaged in his pastoral duty to his parishioners at St Raphael's Church, Park side, Adelaide, 'a staid maiden lady of mature years,' as he described her, brought her niece of 16 years along for the purpose of her being still further instructed in the teachings of the church. From that time on she became a regular attendant at church functions, walking four miles to and from the service.
After two years he became aware of that which her lips would not at this time have lisped a syllable, he has said, but of which her eyes unconsciously told the tale; that tale which is as old as the Garden of Eden. He saw that the young girl loved Father Andrew. Regarding himself as a celibate, and that for life, he realised that a woman's love must never have a resting place in his heart, but as time went on Cupid's marksmanship became more accurate in storming the ramparts.
Two years later Miss Lee migrated to Western Australia, the two parting as firm friends, John Enright thinking that she would soon forget her folly of loving a loveless man — a monk. She had not departed long before he was awakened to the consciousness that something had come out of his life with his little convert's departure.
Correspondence was conducted monthly. At this time John Enright was stationed at the Goulbourn Monastery N.S.W. Time went by and Miss Lee decided to return from Western Australia to visit her friend. In Melbourne her courage failed her, and she passed through Goulbourn to Sydney without calling on him, and then home by steamer.
She wrote some months later that she had actually been within three miles of him, and John Enright was dumbfounded. In a later letter was a question which John Enright considered to be the turning point, and one which settled the destiny of himself and Miss Lee. She wrote: 'May I come along and see you as I pass through to Sydney? I will not intrude too long on your precious time, for I know how busy you always are. But may I come?'
Long did the celibate struggle with his inmost thoughts, for he knew that he was being called upon to make the decision of his life. As he says, 'My eyes fell upon a passage which I had been reading, 'Deus est Lux, Dues est Amor' — 'God is Light, God is Love.'' I thought a little more; then I dipped my pen in the inkwell, and smartly drawing it out I quickly wrote her to 'Come on.'
With the posting of the letter he realised that the die had been cast and that he had passed the Rubicon. Upon arrival at Goulbourn Miss Lee put up at an hotel with some friends, and there the two met next day, those around seeing merely a zealous priest affably greeting one of the younger members of his former flock. Some days later at a parting in the Monastery-avenue Miss Lee quietly cried and said, 'Father Andrew, I am sorry, forgive me, I cannot help it; I am sorry I ever met you.' More quickly than the lightning's flash,' John Enright wrote, 'down went all the intervening barriers of the Church and the world; scattered to the four winds of heaven all thoughts of the past and future; I only felt the, hurricane of love that was sweeping over me as she lay resting on my heart, a fear-stricken, helpless happy maiden, more winsome, more precious than ever.
Our souls had freely met at last. Henceforth they both quietly and secretly engaged on a campaign of preparedness to secade, but it was not done with out tremendous heart struggling, for it meant putting down all that had meant life to the younger man previously. Clandestinely Miss Lee was met upon her return from Sydney, bringing with her some necessary apparel for the young mar who was to forsake his monkish habit and mantle.
During a visit to lunch at the Monastery every link in the chain of escape was examined anew and contingencies provided for. On Monday, September 9, 1907. Miss Lee took her departure from Goulbourn her lover seeing her off. The mission had been detailed for a series of services at Murrumburrah, and during the next night prepared for his departure, forgetting nothing for either his supposed mission or his actual secession. The key of his cell was placed where it would be found according to directions left in letters to several of the brethren, and leaving at dead of night, the young man proceeded to the Goulbourn station.
Booking a seat to Melbourne, at which latter city the wedding was celebrated and the couple set out for Perth on an obscure cargo boat trading in Australian waters. In Western Australia Rev. John Enright was connected with the Presbyterian Church both at Geraldton and Subiaco, and left some years ago for New Zealand.
Although he broke one of the most solemn vows of the Church to which he was initially attached, throughout his life and writings he always spoke with most kindly recollection of his association with the brothers of the Passionist Order, whom in his book, 'Breaking the Letters,' published in 1921 he praised most highly for their high-mindedness and whole-hearted devotion to their Church and their God.
The Late Rev. John Enright, formerly of Subiaco.
