Since we had the sanctuary re-painted in 2009, the dust has built up somewhat on the walls and window-ledges. So, before the Passiontide veils went up, we took the opportunity to hoover them – we hope that the ledges in the nave might follow!

Some of our over-sixties in Newman’s library at the College, Littlemore:

 

The G.K.Chesterton Library at the Oxford Oratory

An Exhibition

Of Books, Drawings, Manuscripts and Assorted Articles

Oxford Oratory Library

Sunday 30 March 2014

12:00 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 17:00.

Following the popularity first of all of Evangelium and then of Catholicism on Saturday mornings, there will be a further series of sessions on Saturday mornings for the summer – this time reflections and discussions about the Book of Genesis.

There will once again be tea and coffee served after the 10 o’ clock Mass, and then a talk, followed by discussion, beginning at 11 o ‘clock. It might be a good idea to bring a Bible. The themes will be as follows:

3rd May – Adam & Eve
17th May – Cain & Abel
24th May – Noah
31st May – Abraham
7th June – Isaac
14th June – Jacob
28th June – Joseph

There will be a coach from the Oratory to St Chad’s Cathedral on 13th May for Fr Robert’s episcopal ordination. The ‘bus will leave from the Oratory at 8.30am, call at Pear Tree Services at 8.45am, and take us to St Chad’s for the Mass at 11am. (N.B. Pear Tree Services are adjacent to the Park & Ride but the ‘bus is not allowed into the Park & Ride itself) The ‘bus will leave Birmingham at 3pm.

There is a sign-up list in the Porters’ Lodge – please pay on booking (£12) and specify if you want to be collected at Pear Tree.

By popular request, the Parish Centre is now open after the ten o’clock Mass on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays for tea, coffee and a selection of tasty morsels. We will experiment with what to sell – so do feel free to make suggestions. Certainly you can buy a coffee less expensively here than anywhere else nearby! We opened for the first time on St Patrick’s Day, when Irish coffee featured on the menu.

The Holy Father has appointed Fr Robert Byrne to be an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. The new Bishop will have responsibility for Birmingham and Worcestershire. He will be the titular Bishop of Cuncacestre (Chester-le-Street).

Please pray for Fr Robert as he prepares for his episcopal ordination. He will be the first Oratorian bishop appointed in England since 1874, when Fr Edward Bagshawe of the London Oratory became Bishop of Nottingham.

Fr Robert’s episcopal ordination will take place at St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham at 11am on Tuesday 13th May. There will be a coach organised from Oxford – details to follow.

His Grace the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Reverend Bernard Longley, said:

“I am immensely grateful to Pope Francis for appointing Fr Robert Byrne Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham. From his time at the Birmingham Oratory and as Provost of the Oxford Oratory, Fr Robert has come to know our Archdiocese well. Having worked alongside him in recent years as the Bishops’ Conference’s Ecumenical Officer, I know that he will bring considerable pastoral, theological and administrative skills to his new responsibilities as a bishop. Above all I am grateful that he brings the spirituality of St Philip Neri, the founder of the Oratory, to enrich his ministry among us. I know that everybody in the Archdiocese, and especially in his pastoral area of Birmingham and Worcestershire, will join me in asking for the prayers of Fr Robert’s fellow Oratorian, Blessed John Henry Newman, as he now prepares for his episcopal ordination in May. I also wish to record my abiding gratitude to Bishop Philip Pargeter for continuing to serve the Archdiocese with great dedication in recent years and for the support and friendship he has so generously given me.”

An interview with Fr Robert may be seen
here

The Lent Flyer, detailing all services and other events in our church throughout Lent and Holy Week, is now available in the Downloads section as “Lent & Holy Week”.

Also included are details concerning our Parish Project this Lent which is the Oxford Food Bank.

The Parish Priest’s report, reviewing Parish life over 2013, is now available in the Downloads section.