I received today a press release from the Diocese of Portsmouth, England, which says that the great Bishop Philip Egan has “has invited Fr Dominic Jacob CO (co-founder of the Oxford Oratory) and Fr Peter Edwards and Fr David Hutton, generously released by the Archbishop of Southwark for this project in his Province, to begin an Oratorian Community of St Philip Neri as part of a major evangelisation drive.”
That is wonderful news.
It seems that Oratories are springing up all over the place.
I wonder…
… if there are traditionally-minded priests out there who might be having a tough go of it in their respective liberally-minded dioceses who have thought about banding together to form an Oratory.
I wonder….
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It’s done wonders in my part of the world- too bad they have to be quiet about their more traditional activities…
Bishop Philip Egan is a top man! Sorry your Eminence!
I was born in Portsmouth, was confirmed in Portsmouth and my local church was the Sacred Heart in Fareham. Now living in France.
This Bishop has spent much of his energy staying true to the Faith, fighting the liberalism of the UK and he deserves many prayers!
That is very good news.
Still, one of those is not like the others. One hopes that reform could be brought to bear, no? Lives are at stake.
Good news. I have visited the Oratory in York, England, a couple of times and have always had a great experience. The York Oratory (St Wilfrids) is a fairly new venture, but has already inspired several young men to pursue vocations.
Let us pray that the new Bournemouth venture is similarly successful.
(As an added bonus, the Church which is to become the Bournemouth Oratory will use is a failed Jesuit parish. Just like St Walburges in Preston, which is now run by ICKSP. It is pleasing to see the Jesuits withering and being replaced with worthwhile Catholicism.)
I have very fond memories of the Toronto Oratory with Father Jonathan Robinson and stayed there for a brief time of discernment. I deeply respect them. Any diocese would be very fortunate to have an Oratory.
By “reform”, I did not mean, places that faithfully offer the EF and tradition. What I meant rather was on the very far other direction out to doing one’s own things. But, power and money and high places and all of that. Change comes slowly when the 1% are on their thrones. It’s too bad they can’t reach out to those whom their actions have seriously harmed. So much for mercy and social justice.
I am delighted at this news. My thanks to Gabriel Syme also for pointing out that St. Wilfred’s in York is also an Oratory. I will pay that a visit when I am over in Yorkshire in a couple of month’s time. I know it very well from many years ago.
I had many wonderful experiences at the Oratory in Toronto the year I worked there. Here in Vancouver I know of a priest who celebrates both EF and sung Latin OF masses who hopes some day to be a founding member of a local oratory.
St. Philip Neri is one of the greatest of the Saints and should be invoked, often, to help with the renewal of authentic Catholicism.
This means that the number of Oratories in England has doubled in just three years – from three to six. Blessed John Henry Newman, Pray for us.
“number of Oratories in England has doubled in just three years – from three to six.”
In fact it has more than doubled, to seven, as a new Oratory-in-formation was announced in Cardiff just a few days ago.
Up here in York the Oratory-in-formation has attracted four novices in its first 2 1/2 years.
There was an Oratory in formation at Star of the Sea parish in San Francisco until a year ago. Their third member, a seminarian went elsewhere and Bishop Cordileone had to close it down because three priests were needed. But it did have substantial support and God and Bishop Cordileone willing an oratory might be revived in San Francisco.
I wish the Oratorians in my area, which serve every Parish in the county, were of the traditional mindset. I have conversed with several CO Priests concerning the more traditional Oratories, and usually get the same V-II response…There is no demand for that here, V-II changed that, We have a different Chrism. Our Oratorians are a very far cry from Brompton.
Well yes I think in the times now such as they are a generous pastor provides for all worshippers and cheerfully offers both NO and EF to entire parish.
That said if that is not in the cards, then, if you are into harassing and viciously driving out ordinary parishioners because you are threatened by their assent to the Faith then you are doing pastoral and parish wrong. Very wrong. Then things just dissemble into an exclusive club for people who yes you all the time. If you can’t be tolerant and inclusive of ordinary believers then you aren’t tolerant and inclusive, and you have some very serious problems, in some cases, violent ones that harm souls, sometimes many. If you then pretend that those whom you hurt do not exist and never existed and blame what you did on them, then, obviously, you are not Christian. You are someone who builds walls instead of Church, regardless of your fine political and ideological agendas, which are not fine but power mongering when held to the light of the truth, of faith, and reality.
I have to point out the great work the Oratory does in Pittsburgh, PA. They serve as campus ministry for Carnegie Mellon, Pitt, and Chatham.
They continue to grow and get their vocations from the students, and have fostered vocations elsewhere. It is there as a CMU student that I discovered the richness of the faith.
They also serve as the keepers of the North American center for study of Cardinal Newman and his works.
It certainly sounds as if all of the others comprehend what it means to be pastoral, in its fulness. It’s too bad the one outlier is unable to apologize or own up to the serious harm caused by their actions. When one refuses to acknowledge it or apologize, it is obvious that they approve and are satisfied with the results. Still, the Church is always reforming herself so there is always hope. We suffer profound ill for others and bear it as best we are able, even while they are unable to realize that their gratefulness for same is required by their station in life. That they continue on as they are with the debt forgiven in effect is my gift to their salvation. Forgiveness is always much more powerful than mere 20th century American mob and horror type ideology.
As a convert, I’m still not sure what an Oratory is, exactly, but I want to add that living for several months in Oxford this past winter/spring, I was so fortunate to worship at Sts. Gregory and Augustine parish under Fr. John Saward, who translated Spirit of the Liturgy! The Masses were so reverent, both Ordinary and Extraordinary forms, and everyone was so kind and relaxed. It seemed there was none of the defensiveness that goes on over here so often. I didn’t get the opportunity to visit the Oxford Oratory but hope to do so some day. I get pulled in both directions so badly that I believe the Holy Spirit has told me–listen to Peter! I’m coming to like Pope Francis more and more. I realize a Pope often needs to be corrected, but I believe my job right now is just to thoughtfully observe what he is trying to do through the Holy Spirit. He’s trying to unite the Church and bring in the lost sheep. I need to not lose my focus. Benedetta’s comments are great.
in reply to Yorkmum
Last time I checked, Cardiff ( where there is an Oratory in formation) was the capital of Wales . So there are as Gaetano says 6 in England and now the additional Oratory in Wales.
There has not been much coverage of the Welsh Oratory which will do great work with the Students and is placed in the beautiful Grounds of Nazareth House. There should be good music as it is opposite the Royal Welsh College of Music and I believe there is a Sung Mass planned for St Philips day.
@ Gabriel Syme: “As an added bonus, the Church which is to become the Bournemouth Oratory will use is a failed Jesuit parish”
As was the Oxford Oratory.
@ Luvadoxi: the Oxford oratory (of St Aloysius) is only 1/4 mile down Woodstock Rd from St Greg’s so there’s no excuse really…..
Another Oratory is indeed good news. We need more priests like St. Philip Neri. I highly recommend the biography of the Saint by his friend and disciple, Fr. Antonio Gallonio CO, published by Ignatius Press.
When thinking about potentially escaping their unfortunate situations, beleaguered traditional-minded priests need to discern very carefully, because there is a lot more to being an Oratorian than being a group of priests (and brothers) who live and work together. Sometimes that gets missed, and a number of attempts at starting an Oratory in various places have failed precisely because of that.
It is good to read that this founding of an Oratory includes at least one priest who should have a very good idea of what he is doing.