RCIA Programme 2010 – 2011
Jan 12th, 2011 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic, This Week events
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
The Chaplaincy RCIA programme for all those seeking Baptism, Confirmation or Reception in the Roman Catholic Church begins the first of this term’s meetings on Thursday of 4th Week (2nd November). Beside the shared meetings candidates will be given a personal guide with whom to talk through more specific questions. The programme runs until May 15th, when Bishop Kenney will come to administer the sacraments at the 11:00 Mass. If you are interested in joining the programme, please get in touch with Fr. John on moffsj@yahoo.com and you will be most welcome to join. If you know anyone else who may be interested, please draw their attention to this programme.
The programme for Michaelmas 2010
Week 4 Thursday, 4th November The Call of God
Week 5 Thursday, 11th November The Call of Christ
Week 7 Thursday, 25th November The Death and Resurrection of the Messiah
Week 8 Sunday, 28th November 11:00 Mass, Rite of Acceptance
The Programme for Hilary 2011
Week 1
Sunday 17th January 5:45 Mass The Rite of Anointing
Thursday 20th January One Body in the Spirit
Faith in Action begins (work with SVP, CAFOD, Jellicoe Society or Tanzania Project etc.)
Week 2 Thursday 27th January The New Temple
Week 3 Thursday 3rd February The Church
Week 4 (Open Week at the Chaplaincy)
Week 5 Thursday 17th February Tradition and the Living Gospel
Week 6 Sunday 20th February 7:30 pm Weeks of Guided Prayer begin
Week 8
Sunday 6th March (first Sunday of Lent) 11:00 Mass The Rite of Election
7:30 pm Weeks of Guided Prayer end
Thursday 10th March Discussion and Evaluation
The Programme for Trinity 2011
Week 1 Thursday 28th April Preparing for the Sacraments and Discussion
Week 2 Thursday 5th May Preparing for the Sacraments
Week 3 Thursday 12th May Practising for the Liturgy
Week 4 Sunday 15th May
11:00 Mass Baptism, Confirmation, Reception with Bishop William Kenney
Seminary Experience
Feb 26th, 2010 by Websec
Filed under Becoming a Catholic
14-17 Seminary Experience
Next month, March 13-14, there will be a young persons discernment weekend here at Oscott College for any boys 14-17 years of age who are thinking of the priesthood or who are at least open to finding out more.This will be an opportunity for them to meet with and be of encouragement to each other, to share in the life of the seminary and to learn more about the priesthood.
It is vital that the young people who wish to attend are referred by yourself and I would be very grateful if you could personally invite any boys in your parish, school or youth group who you feel might benefit from such an experience and advertise it over the next couple of weeks. Perhaps altar servers would be an obvious group! There is no charge for the weekend.The weekend will begin at Oscott on Saturday 13th March at 10am and end on Sunday 14th at 2pm.
If you would like a poster, booking forms to give to parents, or more information, please contact me as soon as possible by email: fr.paul@vocations.org.uk. or tel: 07545 330969.
Lent 2010 at the Chaplaincy
Feb 12th, 2010 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic
Looking for things to do for Lent?
Weeks of Guided Prayer begin Thursday, 18th February at 6:00 pm
All day confessions on Ash Wednesday, 9:00 – 5:45, Masses at 7:30, 9:00, 1:15 and 6:00.
Open door at the Chaplaincy 9—6, 5th – 8th weeks.
Sunday 2nd collections for the Tanzania Project
Home coin Collections for CAFOD
CAFOD Ash Wednesday Soup lunch and Friday Soup lunches,
Making Catholicism heard Today (Thursdays at 6),
Lent Reading Group (contact Alex),
Join the Catholic Worker and Fellowship of Reconciliation Centre’s Tuesday Lenten Reflections on Binding the Strong Man in Mark’s Gospel
Mass in Slow Motion Sundays of 6, 7, 8, at 8:00 pm
Volunteering in Oxford (SVP, CAFOD, The Hub),
Penance Service, Thursday 8th Week.
CrunchTime: Oxford Chaplains Week 2010
Feb 4th, 2010 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic
Oxford Chaplains 2010
Christianity, in and around Oxford University, is thriving and diverse. Almost all the spiritual, liturgical and theological traditions of Christian history are represented: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant; Evangelical, Conservative, Charismatic, Liberal, Radical. From Anglican Choral Evensong to a Charismatic Worship Service, whatever you might be attracted to in Christianity, you have a good chance of finding it in Oxford. And helping you think through the relationship between these various traditions and choices are the Chaplains who serve in Oxford. Most colleges have a chaplain: and most denominational churches in the city have a chaplain serving the student population. All these chaplains are constantly engaged in mission: in making the Gospel known to the world. The variety of ways in which this is done can be bewildering. Chaplains are engaged in pastoral care; in teaching and research; in preaching and praying; in facilitating contemplation of the faith, and directing spiritual life. Oxford Chaplains 2010 seeks to advertise a small slice of what we do in our own colleges. Through the “Crunchtime” events on Community Organizing, we look at how Christians might serve the world beyond Oxford. Through discussion and debate, often using the most widely accessed contemporary art-form – cinema – as a springboard, we try to reflect on our faith in our own time. Chaplains in Oxford are here to serve you: here are some of the events in fourth week under the banner “Oxford Chaplains 2010”.
Sunday 7th February
Preachers involved in community organising will be speaking at Balliol, Hertford, Merton, Somerville, Trinity and University Chapels (evening), and at St Mary Magdalen Church (10.30am) and Magdalen College (11am).
At Exeter for Choral Evensong, the Preacher will be Karen Armstrong, Writer and Broadcaster.
At Lincoln, the Preacher is Dr Peter McCullough, Senior Fellow in English.
At Oriel the Preacher is the Rev’d Jane Ball, Chaplain of Godolphin School
At BNC, the Speaker is Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Stern on issues between “Judaism and Christianity”.
At Worcester, Dr. Jonathan Arnold will be speaking on the “Heavenly Virtues”. This week: Temperance.
Keble College – 8:30 for 9pm:
Launch event for “Crunchtime” with the Bishop of Oxford – with free drinks, live jazz and a video about paid Jellicoe Internships in community organising.
Monday 8th February
Worcester College – The Woodroffe Society lunch meets in Nuffield Building Room 11. Over a free lunch, there will be a continuing informal discussion of the work of Kierkegaard. All are welcome, of all faiths and none. At 6:15pm there is Choral Evensong in the Chapel.
5.30-6.30pm at St Aldate’s Church: “How Christians helped to win a Living Wage Olympics”
A drinks reception and discussion with the Revd Adam Atkinson (St Paul’s, Shadwell – London Citizens’ 2009 Congregation of the Year), David Barclay (OUSU President-Elect and 2009 Jellicoe Intern) and Jonathan Cox (Lead Organiser of Citizens for Sanctuary).
8pm at Lincoln College’s EPA Centre (on Museum Road
College Masses 3rd Week
Feb 2nd, 2010 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic
Tuesday 2nd February, 6:00 St Peter’s College, Fr. John. All Welcome.
Thursday 4th February, 6:00 St. John’s College, Fr. Nick King SJ. All Welcome.
College Masses 2nd Week
Jan 26th, 2010 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic
Tuesday, 26th January 6:00 at Jesus (Fr Simon) All Welcome
Thursday, 28th January 6:00 at Worcester (Fr Nick King SJ) All welcome.
Beyond the Catechism: Texts
Dec 20th, 2009 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic
Texts are now available for the first five talks of the BTC lectures last term
Lecture Two Resurrection and the End of the World 100 BC latest
Possible strands of influence and confluence of thought in the Hellenistic Period lecture 2
Names and dates
Lecture three A History of the Word
A History of the Word – supporting texts
Lecture four A History of Being and Other Big Words
Lecture Five A History of the Soul
It is hoped that this series of talks will lead to a revised version of ‘Beyond the Catechism’ available from 2011/2012. Thanks to all who have attended the talks so far and given some extremely helpful feedback.
The series continues next term with the following talks
1 Knowing and Believing in God:
2 Reading the Tradition: Salvation History of the Old Testament
3 Sacraments and Eucharist: Entering the Mystery
4 Sacrifice and Salvation: Rescuing Creation
5 Christian Ethics 1: Relativism and Rules
6 Christian Ethics 2 Binary ethics, quality ethics, virtue and the call to creative freedom
7 Reading the Tradition part 2: Salvation and Truth in the history of the Christian Church
8 New Testament and the Resurrection of the Word
There will be two supplementary talks (times tba), ‘God and Evil’, and ‘Reflections on the new “Theology of the Body”‘
The Journey To Bethlehem
Dec 20th, 2009 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic, Gospel Reflections
Reflections on the Sunday Readings for Advent and the Christmas Season by Fr. Nicholas King SJ
Reprinted by kindness of ‘The Southern Star’
Catholic Parliamentary Internships
Dec 20th, 2009 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic, This Week events
Now in its seventh year, this scheme will provide seven recently graduated Catholics with an intensive experience of political and social action in a spiritual context.
Three interns will be placed with Christian MPs and there are two further public affairs internships – at Archbishops House, Westminster and the Catholic Education Service.
We will also be recruiting two further interns for work with Christian MEPs in Brussels in a new parallel scheme to be run by the office of the European Catholic Bishops’ Conferences based in Brussels (COMECE).
London-based interns join part-time MA students for one evening a week during the autumn and spring terms at Heythrop College, University of London for modules on Catholic Social Teaching and Foundations of Christian Ethics. (Equivalent studies for Brussels based interns).
Interns are selected on the basis of ability and potential to gain most benefit from this unique experience. Financial support is provided which will fund accommodation, living and travel costs for the duration of the internship.
Candidates for Brussels internships will be required to demonstrate good working knowledge of French.
All internships will run from September 2010 – July 2011.
All applicants must be UK citizens.
Closing date for applications: 26 February 2010
Assessment Centre: 23 and 24 March 2010
Internship Commences: September 2010
Internship Ends: July 2011
RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
Nov 16th, 2009 by Fr John SJ
Filed under Becoming a Catholic
If you are interested in Baptism or Confirmation as a Catholic, if you are 
interested in being received into the Catholic Church, or if you are simply interested as a Catholic in a ‘refresher’ course in the Catholic faith, then please get in touch with Fr. John on moffsj@yahoo.com.
For those who feel they are ready to begin the process, we have an RCIA programme beginning on Thursday of 4th Week (5th November!) after Pasta Plus. We’ll try not to make you late for the fireworks…
The Programme will consist of 8 Thursday evening sessions as a group, beginning on the 5th November and spread over Hilary and into Trinity Term in preparation for the rites of initiation which will take place at one of the 11:00 am Masses in May, presided over by Bishop William Kenney.
Side by side with the evening sessions will be the opportunity to explore issues individually with an accompanying priest or religious.
Please feel free to make contact by email or after one of the chaplaincy Masses. We look forward to offering any help we can give to you on your faith-journey.
