On Sunday 29th May, Bishop Robert Byrne, Cong. Orat. led the Oxford Deanery Corpus Christi Procession.

The marshals are briefed before departure:

The Blessed Sacrament leaves the Oratory:

The Procession heads down St Giles’:

The Witney Town Band played stirring tunes and hymns to help us on our way:

Arrival at Blackfriars:

Fr Robert Ombres, O.P. preached about the altar at Blackfriars, made from Rouge Languedoc marble: a reminder that St Dominic combatted the Cathars, who denied the goodness of creation. In the Blessed Sacrament, God comes to sanctify and deify the flesh.

From Blackfriars, Fr Ombres carried Our Lord into the Cornmarket and through the busy shopping streets of Oxford:

Fr Keith McMillan, S.J. carried the Blessed Sacrament for the final stage of the procession:

Bishop Byrne gave Benediction at the Chaplaincy, accompanied by the band…

…and Fr Dominic on the organ:

After which, we had a very welcome cup of tea, courtesy of the Chaplaincy:

Photographs by Hannah Chegwyn.

 

The Solemn Mass today was celebrated by Rt Revd Bishop Robert Byrne, Cong. Orat.

Photos by Hannah Chegwyn

We were delighted yesterday to welcome the Provost of the London Oratory, Fr Julian Large, who preached at the Solemn Mass for St Philip’s Day, on the subject of St Philip and friendship. We hope to have his words available on the website soon.

Photographs by Hannah Chegwyn.

The annual Deanery Corpus Christi Procession takes place this coming Sunday, and this year will be led by Bishop Robert Byrne, Cong. Orat.

The procession leaves from our church at 2.30pm, stops at Blackfriars for a sermon by Fr Robert Ombres, O.P., and concludes with Benediction at the University Chaplaincy.

Particpants are warmly invited to wear uniforms, academic dress, first Communion outfits, etc.

We will be celebrating the official 90th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen with a Street Party, from 12.30-4pm on Sunday 12th June. Savoury food will be laid on, contributions of cake are welcome, and entertainment will be provided for all age groups. The bar will be open. All are very welcome.

 

The novena in preparation for St Philip’s Day begins next Tuesday (17th) at 6.30pm. There will be novena and Benediction each day at 6.30pm (Sat/Sun at 6pm) until 25th May.

 

On the feast itself (this year Friday 27th May) there will be a Solemn Mass at 6pm, at which Fr Julian Large, Provost of the London Oratory, will preach.

 

Following quickly on the announcement last week, of a new  Oratorian community being set up in Cardiff, we can happily report that there is to be an Oratory in formation at Bournemouth in Dorset. The Bishop of Portsmouth has kindly  and enthusiastically inaugurated this initiative, and has invited our Fr Dominic, together with two priests of the Archdiocese of Southwark, Fr Peter Edwards and Fr David Hutton,  to take over the running of the Parish of the  Sacred Heart  in the city centre – only  a couple of hundred yards from the sea.

The Church is a fine late Victorian building and is the mother church of the city. The Society of Jesus established the parish but withdrew in 1969, since when, the parish has been served by priests of the Portsmouth Diocese. The bishop has described the parish as ‘a community of communities’, there being significant numbers of Polish, Filippino and Brazilian parishioners. There are many language schools and hotels in the parish and much student accommodation. The number of homeless people living in the city  is growing, and the bishop has asked the Fathers to focus attention on ministering to those in need.

Fr Dominic, who will be responsible for the formation of new members and the setting up of community life there, has also been nominated chaplain to the University of Bournemouth.

Please do keep this venture in your prayers. It is  wonderful that St Philip will become known in a new place, to  a new parish community.

 

Yesterday the Order of Preachers marked the eight-hundredth anniversary year of its foundation with a celebration of Vespers in Westminster Cathedral, at which Fr Daniel and Fr Richard were very pleased to be present.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster presided, and the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon, O.P., preached.

The Oratory has much to be thankful to the Dominicans: St Philip said that everything good in him was learnt from the friars at San Marco in Florence. In Rome, he used to take the Dominican novices for picnics, saying, “Eat! It makes me fat to watch you.” Philip had the key to the side door of the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, so that he and his followers could go into the choir for Compline. It was there that the Forty Hours’ Devotion was first introduced to Rome, to pray for a favourable judgement on the writings of Fra’ Girolamo Savanarola, whose portrait hung in Philip’s room, with a  halo drawn by the saint himself. During the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at the Minerva, Philip went into an ecstasy and declared that the Pope had ruled in the Dominicans’ favour, at the very time when this decision was later discovered to have been made.

Many of our own community have benefited from a Dominican education, and we pray that our brethren at Blackfriars, and the whole Order of Preachers, may continue to flourish for the next eight-hundred years.

On Wednesday the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, His Excellency Archbishop Antonio Mennini, came to visit the Mother Teresa Exhibition in our library.

His Excellency’s visit coincided with that of a class from St Aloysius’ Primary School. The Nuncio spoke to the children about how he had himself met Blessed Teresa, and explained how her message was that of the Gospel: “Love one another.”

Archbishop Mennini examines the displays:

As with the many groups of children and young people who have visited the exhibition, they were interested and moved by it:

Fr Daniel explains one of the photo boards:

The Papal Nuncio with some of the pupils from St Aloysius’ and the exhibition volunteers:

Saturday 30th April will be the last day of the exhibition. It is open daily from 10.30am-7pm.

St Aloysius’ School was a sea of red, white and blue last Thursday, to celebrate The Queen’s 90th birthday.

 

A special tea party started with a presentation made by Mr. Walker about Her Majesty. Then all the children stood up to sing a hearty rendition of God Save The Queen. When everyone was seated again, staff and parents served the children with various sandwiches, Victoria sponge and squash – everyone agreed that it was all very yummy! We finished with a prayer specially written for the occasion.