The Provost of the Oxford Oratory, the Very Reverend Fr Robert Byrne, was ordained at the Birmingham Oratory on 5th January 1985 by Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville. At the Solemn Mass on Sunday 3rd January 2010, Fr Robert celebrated his Silver Jubilee of Priesthood. The choir sang Haydn’s Mariazeller Messe, accompanied by strings and timpani.

A large number of visiting clergy were present – from the Archdiocese of Birmingham, from California and from the Oratories of Genoa, Birmingham, London, Vienna and Port Elizabeth.

Afterwards there was a reception at St Benet’s Hall, by gracious permission of the Master.

Fr Mauro di Gioia, Provost of the Genoa Oratory, talks to the Very Reverend Fr Felix Selden, Delegate of the Holy See to the Confederation of the Oratory:

Photographs by Rosie Caldecott

The Novena in preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception begins at 6pm on Sunday 29th November and continues each weekday at 6.30pm and on Saturday & Sunday at 6pm.

On Monday 7th December there will be Solemn First Vespers & Benediction at 6.30pm.

On Tuesday 8th December there will be a Solemn Mass at 6pm at which Fr Vivian Boland, O.P. will preach.

These photographs show the Relic Chapel, which was restored by IFACS during the summer of 2009.

The statue of St Aloysius Gonzaga is a reminder of the faithful service that the Society of Jesus gave to our church from 1875-1981, and before that to the Catholic mission in the whole county during times of persecution. The niche in which our patron saint stands has been decorated with the IHS Monogram – symbol of the Jesuits, and with the letters “SA” for Saint Aloysius, topped with a marquess’s crown. (St Aloysius’ father was the Marquis of Castiglione)

The centrepiece of the chapel is the image of Our Lady of Oxford. This picture was acquired by Hartwell de la Garde Grissell, along with a large collection of relics, including many autograph letters of various saints, which will be displayed in the Relic Chapel on their feast days. The image of Our Lady of Oxford was blessed by Bd Pope Pius IX, who granted a plenary indulgence for anyone who recited the Litany of Loreto or the Salve Regina before it.

The ceiling of the chapel is decorated with images from the Roman catacombs. Many of the bones venerated here come from catacomb martyrs.

The relic cupboards are lined with red baize to symbolize the blood of the martyrs:

Most of the relics come from the former Carmel at Chichester. Some are recently acquired, such as the relic of the veil of Blessed Lucy of Narnia which was recently presented to us by the Dean of the Cathedral in Narni.

The screen of the chapel has been beautifully gilded, and was the choir grille at Chichester Carmel.

The resoration of the Relic Chapel was made possible by the Oratory Reaffirmation and Renewal Campaign and by the generosity of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust

Fr Jerome has written a pamphlet “On Relics” (described in the Tablet as “excellent”) which is available from the Porters’ Lodge.

See the full set of these pictures at James Bradley

Here are three photographs by James Bradley of this year’s Forty Hours Devotion. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed from Friday 13th-Sunday 15th November. The Forty Hours concluded on Sunday evening with Solemn Vespers, Procession and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

On Saturday 14th November, Deacon Jack Sullivan assisted and preached at the 10am Mass. Deacon Sullivan was cured of a serious spine condition at the intercession of the Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman.

After Mass, Deacon Sullivan signed many copies of the Catholic Truth Society booklet about his cure – including for Tricia and Mary Curran, two natives of Braintree, Massachusetts, his own home town:

Visit newmancause.co.uk for more information about the Cause for Newman’s canonization.

At the Solemn Mass on All Saints’ Day, Br Nicholas Edmonds-Smith was made an acolyte. The ministry of Acolyte is the last stage before ordination to the Diaconate. Please keep Br Nicholas in your prayers as he prepares for the priesthood.

Some comments from among the 6,200 pilgims who came to pray before St Thérèse’s relics:

“I have never experienced such a welcome.”

“It was like being in heaven”

“It was so wonderful to see thousands of people wanting to be the best they can.”

Bishop Philip Boyce O.C.D. gives Benediction at the closing service:

Emotions were powerful as the relics went on to their next destination:

The arrival of the Relics at Solemn Vespers:

We were honoured that six Carmelite nuns from the Wolverhampton Carmel were present for the arrival of the relics and stayed throughout the night vigil. They were able to meet some of the cast from the Divine Comedy and given an impromtu performance of two of the scenes! They seemed hugely amused as one of the demons proclaimed “I loathe Carmelites!”

An enormous team of volunteers worked to steward and refresh our pilgrims, as well as provide First Aid and man the bookstall. Here, ready to serve cups of tea:

Fr Daniel celebrated the 8.30am Missa Cantata:

And the pilgrims kept coming for 22 hours:

At least 6,000 have thronged our church during the visit of the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux. Despite the rain on the evening of Wednesday 7th October, crowds queued down the street, some waiting for several hours.

Six boys from the Oratory School carried the 22 stone reliquary in and out of church:

Solemn Vespers of St Thérèse were celebrated:

Bishop William Kenney C.P. celebrated a Solemn Mass:

Pilgrims continued coming all through the night:

By: Amanda C Dickie

from Independent Catholic News

The relics of St Thérèse will be welcomed to Oxford on Wednesday with a peal of bells from the Anglican church of St Giles, opposite the Oxford Oratory, and a few yards from the Martyrs Memorial at the heart of Protestant Oxford. The church has offered use of its hall and facilities to those visiting the relics at the Oratory church of St Aloysius.

Photographs of Thérèse will be projected outside the church as she arrives. Thérèse of Lisieux wrote eight plays and took the lead in five of these performed as recreation in the Carmel so it was apt that Oxford parishioners decided to stage a theatrical extravaganza in preparation for the visit of her relics to the Oratory.

Performed over three days.,including Thérèse’s’ Feast on 1 October, all performances were sold out.

Divine Comedy – A Thérèsian Mystery Play, complete with devils and angels locked in battle with twirling banners, and a cast of 55 was written by Leonie Caldecott. Her daughter, Tessa, directed this ambitious project incorporating an updated version of Dante’s Divine Comedy and a time travelling female doctor, complete with Dr Who-like scarf, who takes Dan and Bea back to 1873 showing them the life of Thérèse of Lisieux. and her message for today. Devised as a modern version of a mystery play all parts of the church were used. Photographs of Thérèse were illuminated onto the exterior of the church before and after the production.

Professional lighting was on hand from parishioner Ashley Bale of the Oxford Playhouse, whose wife played Thérèse’s mother, Zelie Martin and their children took part too.

Parish priest Fr Daniel Seward skilfully played Therese’s father with pathos, revealing hidden acting talent He had even grown long side burns for the part. Oratorian Fr Dominic Jacob, was a benevolent Pope Leo XIII, and Fr Richard Duffield played Monsignor Reverony with aplomb. An interesting interjection was the appearance of Cardinal Newman by Fr Jerome Bertram carrying his Apologia. Clare Coggins brought intensity and vibrancy as the older of three actresses playing Therese and conveyed her sense of fun.

A Dominican and a Franciscan played other clergy. A Carmelite nun from Wolverhampton, present on the opening night, said that the second half portrayed life in the Carmel very well and added that her convent had supplied the nuns’ habits.

Fr Michael McGoldrick, Discalced Carmelite Superior in this country, thought that the play was a wonderful introduction to Thérèse and said that it would be “great” if it could be reprised in London.

“It was wonderful that all the generations were involved from young children to a lady in her eighties”, he said.

The childrens’ matinee performance starred an extra cast member -a dog called Truffle- as the young Thérèse’s pet dog and stole the show!