Sacraments
For times of Mass, confessions and other regular services, see the Mass times page.
Hospitals and visits to the sick
Home visits for the sick
If you are ill and housebound, or have a relative or friend who is, please contact the Parish Priest, Fr Anton Webb, who will, if you wish, arrange for one of the clergy to visit. Holy Communion can be brought regularly to those who are ill and housebound in our parish, who are unable to attend Mass.
Going into hospital?
If you are going into hospital, we can contact the chaplain of that hospital so that he knows to look out for you. This is becoming increasingly important, as some hospitals will not now pass on the names of Catholic patients to the chaplain.
Interested in becoming a Catholic?
Each year, we receive a number of people into the Catholic Church. Some of them are Christians who have already been baptised and now wish to enter into full communion with the Church; others have never been baptised.
If you are interested in becoming a Catholic, one of the best first steps is to start attending Mass - you can always come to the front during Holy Communion and ask for a blessing. Find out more about the Catholic Faith - there are plenty of useful books in our Porter's Lodge. Talk with Catholic friends and colleagues, or ask to see a priest. Above all, try to pray regularly.
Instruction in the faith in our parish is usually arranged on a one-to-one basis: you would meet with a priest over the course of several months, and could arrange to be baptised and/or confirmed at the end of the course of these meetings.
Baptisms
We have separate arrangements for children needing preparation for the sacraments - please see the Parish Groups section for more information.
If you would like to arrange for your child to be baptised, please contact one of the Fathers. He will usually need to meet with you at least once, to get to know you, talk about baptism, and make sure you are familiar with the rite. An important point to bear in mind is that you will need at least one Catholic godparent (ideally two) for the baptism.
If you do not live or worship regularly in our parish and would like to arrange a baptism at the Oratory, you will need to talk to your own local parish priest so that he can give permission for the baptism to take place in our church.
If you are an adult who has not been baptised, and are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith, please get in touch with one of the Fathers.
Weddings
Our church is popular for weddings, not least because of its location in the centre of Oxford.
If you are thinking of getting married, it is nearly always necessary to give at least three months' notice, and preferably more. This is to make sure that all the civil formalities and spiritual preparations can be completed in good time.
As part of your preparation for marriage, you will meet with the priest who will be conducting the wedding a few times, and will probably attend a marriage preparation day. This is a good way of getting to know other couples who are about to get married, as well as to draw on the experience of married couples and others who be able to help with your preparations.
More information can be found in the leaflet, Getting Married at the Oxford Oratory.
Funerals
For details of how to arrange a funeral, please see the leaflet, Funerals at the Oxford Oratory.