Oxford Catholic Chaplaincy Latest News
Click here for a message from the Chaplains - January 18
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Sunday, 9th January: 11am, 5.45pm and 9pm.
Monday-Saturday: 12.15pm
Student Mass: Tue-Wed-Thu 8am, followed by (free!) breakfast.
Confessions will be on Saturdays 11.30am-12pm and Sundays 10.15am-10.45am, and on request. Please contact Fr Matthew or Fr William directly to schedule an appointment.
We look forward to seeing you back at the Chaplaincy!
The Chaplains - Fr Matthew, Alvea and Fr William
The Feast of the Conversion of St Paul – final day of the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity
Perhaps in this time of shared vulnerability, of reduced in-person contact, the spiritual bonds that unite us with our fellow Christians seem more precious. There is a sense too of how fundamental to our humanity is our openness to God: we are not masters of our destiny. We know ourselves in these times to be creatures. We are being invited to live more humbly.
Returning to Lockdown
Public worship is still permitted, as is one one-to-one walk a day. If you are in Oxford, we do hope to see you at one of our Masses (please see details below) and please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you would like a walk and a chat.
Newman Society’s Mass of Thanksgiving 2020 – homily by Fr Matthew Power SJ
How is it that you can, as a University Catholic Society, continue, in the coming year, to contribute to the mission of the Church, in its nurturing of the faith, in its building up of community, in its ecumenical and interfaith relations, in its championing of the right to life and the care of our common home, in manifesting the kind of openness and accountability that has, at times, been absent in Church organisations, most recently in the Church itself in relation in its response to child abuse.
Bishops’ Response to the IICSA report – Chaplaincy’s next steps
We wish to take the Bishops’ statement as an occasion to renew our efforts at the Chaplaincy to do all we can to safeguard children and the vulnerable, to support those who have been affected by abuse, and to ensure that as a community we are committed to best pastoral practice.
The Chancellor’s message on the occasion of the Academic Mass and Centenary of the Oxford University Catholic Chaplainy at the Old Palace
Catholics today play an important role in every aspect of our national life. There is a special responsibility on all of us who benefit from all that this great academy has to offer, to return to the community a little of what we ourselves have received.
Bishop John Arnold’s homily on the occasion of the Academic Mass and Centenary of the Oxford University Catholic Chaplainy at the Old Palace
Anniversaries are important in recognising and remembering the history of a place – and the people and events associated with it. And, for The Old Palace, it has been a story of success both in witnessing to the faith and in the mission of evangelisation.
Priority for the term – to stay open!
We know that if we do not remain a safe environment then not only will some of you stay away, but there is a strong likelihood that we will have to close for in-person events, either at our own initiative or at the request of the University or Public Health England.
In order to keep open across the term we need everyone to:
Building Community
The fruits of the five days we spent together are certainly a far better organised library and an array of pretty flower tubs on the terrace, but we would hope also a community that is praying together and working together to make the Chaplaincy the place of welcome and support that you will be enjoy and appreciate.
‘Newman’s Secret’
John Henry Newman was always eminently pastoral, attentive to the needs of human beings; and that is why the poor lined the streets for his funeral and that was why the Oxford undergraduates could not be prevented from attending his sermons. He was, above all, a man of the Spirit, and is an example to us of how to preach the gospel.
‘The Lord be with you’
We have a capacity for about 60 to 70 people in the Newman Room with an ‘overflow’ in the Chapel for 15.