PREFACE TO THE SIXTH EDITION
IN MEMORIAM— AMBROSE ST JOHN
AMBROSE St John was the younger of the two sons of Henry St John, and grandson of St Andrew St John, D. D., Dean of Worcester, of the ancient family of St John of Staunton St John, Oxfordshire. He was born June 29, 181 5, went to Westminster School, and afterwards graduated with Honours at Oxford. From Christ Church he entered the Anglican Ministry, and, after accepting a curacy under the Rev. Henry William Wilberforce, then incumbent of Bransgore, Hants, joined Dr Newman at Littlemore, where he remained till 1844.
He was received into the Church September 29, 1845, at Prior Park, near Bath, and accompanied Dr Newman to Rome, where the two converts were ordained Subdeacon together in the private chapel of Cardinal Franzoni May 26, 1847. Three days later they received the Diaconate at St John Lateran's, and the Priesthood the following day, Trinity Sunday. After a short novitiate they returned to England as Oratorians, and in the foundation of the Oratory in England by Father Newman Ambrose St John figures as his right hand at Maryvale, at Alcester Street, and finally at Edgbaston.
Bright and cheerful in aspect and manner, and many-sided in his accomplishments, Father St John devoted himself most assiduously to the service of God and his neighbour in the Oratory. He was a typical son of St Philip, indefatigable alike in the confessional and in the pulpit, and a true father, whether to the Italian organ-grinders or to the poor factory girls of Birmingham. Later on, at Dr Newman's request, he sacrificed himself to the exacting work of the Oratory School, founded in 1859, of which as Head-master from 1862, under the guidance of his Superior, he may be said to have laid the permanent foundations. His memory is held in grateful recollection by many old Oratory boys.
The translation of the Raccolta by Father St John was one of the first books of popular devotion issued by the Fathers of the Birmingham Oratory, and it supplied them with the congregational prayers, still in use in their church, for the Stations of the Cross, for the month of May, the Triduo and Novenas in preparation for the Feasts of our Lady, and similar devotions. The fifth edition of the book, brought out after Father St John's death, was printed in Birmingham by the direction and under the supervision of Cardinal New- man himself. Concurrently with the issue of the English Raccolta Father St John translated and published a work on Indulgences by the Abbate Dominico Sarra, Recorder of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Holy Relics,
