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

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.

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

BTSM_lent_leaflet-1

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.

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 8^th 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

Thursday 4th February, 6:00 St. John’s College, Fr. Nick King SJ. All Welcome.

Thursday, 28th January 6:00 at Worcester (Fr Nick King SJ) All welcome.

Lecture One Faith and Reason

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 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”‘

Reprinted by kindness of ‘The Southern Star’

1st Sunday of Advent

2nd Sunday of Advent

3rd Sunday of Advent

4th Sunday of Advent

Feast of the Holy Family

The Epiphany of the Lord

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