Yesterday’s talk by Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow, the founder and Chief Executive of Mary’s Meals was deeply inspiring.

He told the story of how he began this movement of thousands of people, each performing “little acts of love”, all because of one boy in Malawi, Edward, who when asked about his ambitions for life said, “I would like to have enough food to eat and I would like to be able to go to school one day.”

Magnus described the simplicity of the vision of Mary’s Meals, that every child in the world should be able to have enough to eat each day and to receive an education.

Today, Mary’s Meals feeds 1.2 million children in their place of education every day – but there are sixty million children who do not attend school because of hunger. It takes Mary’s Meals just £13.90 to feed a child in school for one year.

Mary’s Meals is our Lent Project this year, and there will be a second collection on Sunday 2nd April. If you want to find out more or to get involved, visit the website:
www.marysmeals.org.uk

At the end of his talk, Magnus asked us to pray for the work of Mary’s Meals, and in particular to ask Our Lady’s intercession, since it is in her name that this work of feeding the hungry is undertaken.

The children at St Aloysius’ School also had a presentation about Mary’s Meals yesterday afternoon and were enthusiastic about taking part in the backpack project, to send to children receiving Mary’s Meals the basic learning materials they need. See:

marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/the-backpack-project

Our children watched this beautiful film about the journey of one backpack from Scotland to Malawi:

Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow is the founder of Mary’s Meals and he will be coming to speak about how he has set up this inspiring charity on Tuesday 21st March at 8pm in our Parish Centre. Do make every effort to be there.

Mary’s Meals feeds over one million children every day in school.

More information at www.marysmeals.org.uk

In the course of 2000 years, the Church has developed a great variety of spiritual traditions and ways of living out the command to ‘pray at all times’. This Lent, five guest speakers (plus our own Fr Daniel) will share with us insights from their wealth of experience in their own religious orders that will help us in our own times of prayer. These talks are sure to be a help in strengthening our own Lenten practice of prayer. Talks take place on Saturdays at 11:00 in the Oratory parish centre and are open to the public. Tea and coffee available before from 10:30.

Our next speaker is Fr Stephen Morrison, O.Præm., Subprior of St Philip’s Priory, Chelmsford, on The Odd Life of St Norbert and his White Canons on Saturday 18th March.

The Premonstratensian Canons came into being through the conversion experience of St Norbert, who after a worldly life, came to his senses following a riding accident in 1115. Encouraged by the Pope, Norbert settled in France at Prémontré and established there a community, from which grew the Norbertine Order, still famed for its devotion to the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin and its dignified celebration of the Liturgy.

1 April — Prayer and Preaching: The spiritual traditions of St Dominic’s Order of Preachers

Fr Richard Finn, O.P.. Director of the Las Casas Institute; Lecturer and Tutor at Blackfriars

8 April — The Still Small Voice that Speaks in Lent: The Prophet Elijah in Carmelite Spirituality
Very Rev. Fr Kevin Alban, O.Carm., Prior Provincial of the British Province of Carmelite Friars

Full details of all the talks are available in the Lent, Holy Week and Easter booklet. Printed copies are available at the back of church.

In the course of 2000 years, the Church has developed a great variety of spiritual traditions and ways of living out the command to ‘pray at all times’. This Lent, five guest speakers (plus our own Fr Daniel) will share with us insights from their wealth of experience in their own religious orders that will help us in our own times of prayer. These talks are sure to be a help in strengthening our own Lenten practice of prayer. Talks take place on Saturdays at 11:00 in the Oratory parish centre and are open to the public. Tea and coffee available before from 10:30.

We had a full house for Abbot Cuthbert Brogan’s fascinating and entertaining talk on Benedictine spirituality.

Our next speaker is our own Fr Daniel, on The School of St Philip: The Spiritual Life of the Oratory.

St Philip never really meant to found anything; the Oratory just happened in response to the needs of his age. The Oratorian priests and brothers, established to serve the laity who attended the meetings of the Oratory, still promote a spirituality designed ‘to make people saints in their own homes’. St Philip’s attractive and cheerful personality drew men and women into a closer friendship with Christ, and his way to holiness continues to encourage people in the world today.

18 March — The Odd Life of St Norbert and his White Canons
Fr Stephen Morrison, O.Præm., Subprior of St Philip’s Priory, Chelmsford

1 April — Prayer and Preaching: The spiritual traditions of St Dominic’s Order of Preachers

Fr Richard Finn, O.P.. Director of the Las Casas Institute; Lecturer and Tutor at Blackfriars

8 April — The Still Small Voice that Speaks in Lent: The Prophet Elijah in Carmelite Spirituality
Fr Kevin Alban, O.Carm., Friar of Aylesford Priory, Kent

Full details of all the talks are available in the Lent, Holy Week and Easter booklet. Printed copies are available at the back of church.

Fr James Hanvey spoke to a packed Parish Centre last Saturday about St Ignatius’ particular approach to prayer, and about prayer in general.

He recommended several resources for helping us to pray:

A Guide to Ignatian Prayer — by Rob Marsh SJ, which was given to all at the talk last week.

Schools of Prayer — a series of Podcasts organised by the Bishops’ Conference, including one by Fr James. They are based on a series originally recorded for the Clifton Diocese.

Pray as you Go — run by the British Province of the Society of Jesus.

Sacred Space — run by the Irish Province of the Society of Jesus.

†

Of your charity please pray

for the repose of the soul of

Father DAVID HUTTON

of the Oratory

who died on

Wednesday 1^st March 2017

fortified by the rites of Holy Church

May he rest in peace

Fr David was a priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark who was to have been part of the Oratory-in-formation in Bournemouth. We clothed him in the habit in January, so that he could die as a Son of St Philip.

There will be a Solemn Requiem offered in our church at 6pm on Friday 10th March.

“What a joy to die a Son of St Philip” – Blessed Anthony Grassi

In the course of 2000 years, the Church has developed a great variety of spiritual traditions and ways of living out the command to ‘pray at all times’. This Lent, five guest speakers (plus our own Fr Daniel) will share with us insights from their wealth of experience in their own religious orders that will help us in our own times of prayer. These talks are sure to be a help in strengthening our own Lenten practice of prayer. Talks take place on Saturdays at 11:00 in the Oratory parish centre and are open to the public. Tea and coffee available before from 10:30.

Our second guest speaker will be Dom Cuthbert Brogan, O.S.B.
, Abbot of St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough, on A School of the Lord’s Service: Contemplative monastic life in the Benedictine tradition. St Benedict lived in the 6th Century and is considered to be the Father of Western monasticism, having left his Rule for those who would live the monastic ideal in community. Centred on work and prayer, Benedictine monks turn their whole life into an act of the praise of God, whether singing his praises in the psalms, or tending his creation in the field.

11 March — The School of St Philip: The spiritual life of the Oratory

Fr Daniel Seward, Cong. Orat., Provost of the Oxford Oratory

18 March — The Odd Life of St Norbert and his White Canons

Fr Stephen Morrison, O.Præm., Subprior of St Philip’s Priory, Chelmsford

1 April — Prayer and Preaching: The spiritual traditions of St Dominic’s Order of Preachers

Fr Richard Finn, O.P.. Director of the Las Casas Institute; Lecturer and Tutor at Blackfriars

8 April — The Still Small Voice that Speaks in Lent: The Prophet Elijah in Carmelite Spirituality

Fr Kevin Alban, O.Carm., Friar of Aylesford Priory, Kent

Full details of all the talks are available in the Lent, Holy Week and Easter booklet. Printed copies are available at the back of church.

Mary’s Meals provides a meal in school for over one million children every day. It is inspired by the Magnificat: ‘He has filled the hungry with good things’ and is named after Our Lady. The founder of Mary’s Meals, Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow, will be coming to speak in the Parish Centre on Tuesday 21 March at 8pm. There will be collection boxes to take home at the beginning of Lent, and a second collection on Sunday 2 April. More information at www.marysmeals.org.uk

Below is the video shown last month at the Parish AGM. It provides an excellent introduction to the work of Mary’s Meals, and shows what a difference our support this Lent can make to children in some of the poorest parts of the world.

In the course of 2000 years, the Church has developed a great variety of spiritual traditions and ways of living out the command to ‘pray at all times’. This Lent, five guest speakers (plus our own Fr Daniel) will share with us insights from their wealth of experience in their own religious orders that will help us in our own times of prayer. These talks are sure to be a help in strengthening our own Lenten practice of prayer. Talks take place on Saturdays at 11:00 in the Oratory parish centre and are open to the public. Tea and coffee available before from 10:30.

NB: talks begin the Saturday before Ash Wednesday.

Our first guest speaker will be Fr James Hanvey, S.J.
, Master of Campion Hall, Oxford, on Finding God in a busy life: 
St Ignatius and the Catholic spiritual tradition. St Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus in 1540, abandoning his career as a soldier and giving to the Church one of her most effective missionary bodies in her history. The Society’s priests spread the Gospel from South America to East Asia, many giving their lives as martyrs for Christ. Find out more about St Ignatius’ unique method of prayer, and how it can be a help to us today in our search for God.

4 March — A School of the Lord’s Service: Contemplative monastic life in the Benedictine tradition
Rt Rev. Dom Cuthbert Brogan, O.S.B., Abbot of St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough

11 March — The School of St Philip: The spiritual life of the Oratory

Fr Daniel Seward, Cong. Orat., Provost of the Oxford Oratory

18 March — The Odd Life of St Norbert and his White Canons

Fr Stephen Morrison, O.Præm., Subprior of St Philip’s Priory, Chelmsford

1 April — Prayer and Preaching: The spiritual traditions of St Dominic’s Order of Preachers

Fr Richard Finn, O.P.. Director of the Las Casas Institute; Lecturer and Tutor at Blackfriars

8 April — The Still Small Voice that Speaks in Lent: The Prophet Elijah in Carmelite Spirituality

Fr Kevin Alban, O.Carm., Friar of Aylesford Priory, Kent

Full details of all the talks are available in the Lent, Holy Week and Easter booklet. Printed copies are available at the back of church.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on 1 March. There will be Mass with the imposition of ashes at 7:30, 10am (Sung English, with the primary school), 12:15pm (EF Latin), and 6pm (Solemn Mass).

Celebrate the day before with the Parish Pancake Party in the Parish Centre from 6:30pm!

During Lent, there will no Holy Hour on Friday afternoons, but Stations of the Cross at 5:30pm. On Saturdays, there will be exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from after the 10am Mass until 6pm, when exposition ends with Benediction.

There will be a day of recollection for open to all on Saturday 4 March led by Fr Joseph. The day will begin with Mass at 10am, followed by opportunity for confessions; Saturday Talk at 11am, A School of the Lord’s Service by Abbot Cuthbert Brogan; times of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament; talks on the theme Entering the inner chamber of your soul; and will end with Benediction.

Friday 3 March — Oratory Young Adults
Come back to me with all your heart — talk and discussion at 7:30pm

Saturday 25 March — Feast of the Annunciation
Ordination to the Diaconate of Br Oliver at 12 noon

Monday 27 March — Penance Service
with individual confession at 7pm

Wednesday 5 April — Passiontide Musical Oratory
Choral music for Passiontide at 8pm

Full details of all this, and of the series of Saturday Talks for Lent, Praying with the Church available in the Lent, Holy Week and Easter booklet. Printed copies are available at the back of church.