On May 7 1903 a visitor of distinction called at the Mother House of the Society in Verona: he was Bishop (later Cardinal) Francis Bourne of Southwark. While in Rome for his 'ad limina' visit, he had made enquiries about a religious order which might be prepared to undertake work in his large diocese. He was advised to get in touch with the Verona Fathers, who were anxious to establish themselves in England on account of their missions in British Africa. As a result of this visit, the Verona Fathers were given charge of a Mass Centre at Sidcup in Kent which was to be developed into a parish. Father J. Lehr was appointed priest-in-charge; he set about his work with great energy and enterprise and soon there were plans for a church and school. The church was built in 1905, Father Lehr left England in 1909 to attend the second General Chapter of the Congregation. At this Chapter it was decided that the moment had come to open a long desired mission in Uganda.  In order to open the new mission it was decided to withdraw the community from Sidcup. This decision was only made after much prayer and consideration, but the immediate pressing needs of the missions could not be denied and so with a heavy heart the promising parish was handed back to the Bishop.

In the nineteen-thirties the Verona Fathers returned to England. Small groups came over to learn the language and to do Colonial Courses in preparation for work in the missions (at that time all our missions were in territories under British rule or influence). Most of these Verona Fathers stayed as guests of the Brothers at St. Mary's College, Southampton. Among the fathers who studied in England at this time were Fr. Todesco, Superior General (1947-59), Fr. Edward Mason, afterwards Vicar Apostolic of El Obeid, and Fr. Augustine Baroni, later Novice Master at Sunningdale and then Vicar Apostolic of Khartoum. As the number of Fathers increased, Cardinal Hinsley, at the time Apostolic Delegate for British Africa, insisted that the Verona Fathers acquire a house in England. This would make it easier for the Fathers to prepare for the British missions and would also enable the Society to stir-up interest in the conversion of British Africa among the Catholics of England. Father Cotta, who had been at Sidcup as a student and then as a priest thirty years before, was sent to London with instructions to look for a suitable property. He began by renting a maisonette in Great James Street, W.C. 1, which was soon crowded with Fathers sent to London to study at the University. Then Shrubbs Hill Place, Berks., came on the market and was found satisfactory. Negotiations were speeded up, and by March 1938 the small community was able to move from Great James Street to Sunningdale. But although the work was started it was not destined to last long.

With the entry of Italy into the war, the Fathers were interned and the small group of students dispersed. Of these first students Father Eric Grace was able to go to the Novitiate in Italy before the outbreak of war, and in spite of the hostilities was able to continue his studies for the priesthood. In 1944 he was ordained in Milan by the saintly Cardinal Schuster, thus becoming the first English Verona Father. Another of that pioneer band of students, Father Christopher Hierons, was able to return to Sunningdale after the war, which he had spent in the Royal Navy, and was eventually ordained at Englefield Green in 1953. The war disrupted all plans for expansion in England, the Fathers being interned on the Isle of Man and the house at Sunningdale being requisitioned by the Government. It was not until December 1947 that the Verona Fathers were permitted to return to Sunningdale. Progress was resumed immediately and in the following month Father Todesco, the Superior General, established the Novitiate at Sunningdale, the first to be opened outside Italy.

Father Todesco and Father Bresciani, the first Provincial Superior, were determined to make up for lost time. A house was bought in Bayswater, London: in honour of our founder it was named " Comboni House " and became the Provincial Headquarters and House of Studies. The following year the Verona Fathers were asked to take charge of a parish in the diocese of Brentwood at Elm Park and Father Cotta went there as the first parish priest.

In 1949 it was decided to move the Junior Seminary to Stillington, Yorks. The move to Stillington was only a temporary solution and a completely new seminary was planned for the younger boys. This was built by our own Missionary Brothers on an imposing site at Roehead, Mirfield, on the edge of the Yorkshire Moors, an extension of the house  once of the Bronte' Sisters, writers of several novels. In 1960 Bishop Dwyer blessed the new buildings, and the Junior Seminary finally had a suitable home.

Already however this has proved too small and in 1963 a house was bought to form the nucleus of a new seminary for older boys. This new seminary was at Allanton, Dumfries, in the diocese of Galloway. The house served as a residence for our Sixth Form students who attended school at the Marist College in Dumfries. It also served as a training centre for prospective Missionary Brothers.