The billionaire who became my saviour
night wondering what on earth to do.
Then I met James Ramsden. He was on a train, with someone I knew, and we chatted.
A few weeks later, he contacted me. He’d found out about our parlous financial state. Oh, and he happened to look after Paul Getty’s considerable funds. Would I like to meet the philanthropist? ‘I’m not doing much tomorrow,’ I replied breathlessly.
At breakfast, I told all the nuns: ‘On your knees, Sisters, from two o’clock and remain there until you receive news from me. Pray for help and pray for the convent.’
Arriving at Paul Getty’s London home, I was whisked up to a big lobby bedecked with sofas. Paul Getty was
sitting watching TV on a screen about the size of our local Odeon.
‘I’m so glad to meet you, Mr Getty,’ I said. ‘Before we start, can I get the boring bit over with? Then we can talk of something more pleasant.’
‘Er, very well,’ he said, turning the TV off. So, without further ado, I told him we needed a cheque for a quarter of a million pounds — ‘Otherwise, I and my Sisters will lose our home, and the country will lose its oldest convent.’
The great man studied my face for a moment before saying: ‘I don’t think I have ever been asked for a quarter of a million pounds before in such a direct manner.’ He paused. ‘That’s a considerable amount of money.’ This didn’t sound too promising . . . But he hadn’t finished. I could have £125,000 to kick-start the convent’s recovery, he said : ‘Then we’ll keep an eye on how you’re getting on.’
The money was an enormous help. I went back to Paul for a number of £25,000 top-ups — and in the process we became friends.
After a while, I’d sensed that he was very troubled about something and eventually I drew it out of him. Having had two wives, he said, he was distressed that he could not receive Holy Communion in a Catholic church nor marry his long-time companion.
‘Not a bit of it,’ I said. ‘Of course you can. And after you’ve received Holy Communion, you must marry Victoria. She is a saint and a loving woman.’
And so he started receiving Holy Communion, and married Victoria Holdsworth. Happy story.