Photography by Tessa Caldecott

Monday 22nd February was the Feast of the Chair of St Peter. We were asked to pray especially on this day for the unity of Christians, especially in the light of the Holy Father’s recent offer to Anglicans in Anglicanorum Coetibus. There was a Holy Hour from 8-9pm to pray for this intention.

“Every division among the baptized in Jesus Christ wounds that which the Church is and that for which the Church exists”

Pope Benedict XVI in Anglicanorum Coetibus

The Requiem Mass took place in our church on Thursday 21st January for the Rt Rev & Rt Hon Mgr Graham Leonard, KCVO, PC.

Monsignor Leonard was the Anglican Bishop of London, and in retirement was received into the Catholic Church, where he became a priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster.

Bishop Alan Hopes, Auxiliary in Westminster, was the main celebrant at the funeral. He was assisted by Bishop William Kenney and thirty-four other priests.

The Anglican Bishop of London was represented by the Bishop of Edmonton, and the Bishop of Woolwich and Bishop Emeritus of Paramatta were also present.

Photographs by Br Lawrence Lew OP

Fr Gregory Mitchell of the Oratory in Port Elizabeth stayed with us for two years while pursuing his priestly studies at Blackfriars. On his return to South Africa he was ordained priest on 10th January 2009. On the first anniversary of his ordination, Fr Gregory celebrated the Solemn Mass in Oxford. All three sacred ministers were born in Africa! (Fr Daniel in Ndola, Fr Gregory in Port Elizabeth and Br Nicholas in Cape Town)

After Mass, Fr Gregory gave first blessings:

The Very Reverend Fr Ignatius Harrison preaches at the 6pm Mass on 5th January, which Fr Robert celebrated on the 25th anniversary of his ordination:

After dinner the Fathers enjoy the snow!

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.