Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Tuesday, 18 August 2015

Celebrating the Assumption at the Oxford Oratory


This past weekend we had two days of celebration at the Oxford Oratory for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On Saturday at 12.15, that is on the usual day of the feast, there was a celebration of a Missa cantata in the Extraordinary Form. The music was provided by ' Amici Cantantes' from Birmingham. The Mass was well attended, and not just by particular enthusiasts or partisans for the EF - this was a Mass which attracted many others who simply wanted to pay honour to the Assumption on the day, and who clearly were not put off in any way by the idea of attending something other than the novus ordo

On Sunday, the transferred day for the Solemnity this year, the High Mass for the feast of Our Lady's Assumption was celebrated  by Fr Davide Saron, of the Oratory at Brescia in Italy. As the Oratory website, from which I have taken this part of the post, reminds its readers Fr Davide first visited the Oxford community four years ago, and it was with great pleasure that we were able to welcome him back to celebrate the Solemn Mass in the morning and  to preside at Solemn Vespers in the evening.

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Fr Davide was ordained priest on  May 16th this year, so was able to give first blessings after the Solemn Mass. Please pray for him as he begins his life of priestly ministry, and pray for more Oratorian vocations, both in Brescia and in Oxford!


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Images: Oxford Oratory


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