John Furniss (priest)
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John Furniss (19 June 1809, near Sheffield, England – 16 September 1865, at Clapham, London) was an English Roman Catholic priest, known for his mission to children.
His father was a wealthy master-cutler. He was educated at Sedgley Park School, St Mary's College, Oscott, and Ushaw College, where he became a priest in 1834. He was resident priest at Doncaster for five years, but his health having given way he travelled during eight years through Europe and the East.
After his return home, 1847, he spent some time at Islington, London, working for the welfare of street children. He became a professed member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer at St. Trond, Belgium, 1851, and afterwards gave missions in England and Ireland; but from 1851 until his death he devoted himself wholly to giving missions to children.
He was the founder of children's missions and "the children's Mass", and by his writings systematized a philosophy of religious training. These missions lasted sometimes three weeks, and were given not only to school-children, but to working boys and girls. His maxim was that "nothing so disgusted children as monotony", and therefore he had the prayers at Mass and the Rosary sung to simple airs, and his sermons seldom lasted more than twenty minutes. Preaching quietly but with great dramatic power from a platform, he held their attention. He was a story-teller, seldom moving to laughter but often to tears.
