Carols at the Oxford Oratory

The last two evenings the Oxford Oratory has provided a feast of seasonal and reflective music.

On Wednesday there was the Oratory's own Advent Carol Service, entitled The Advent of Our King, a Musical Oratory in the best Philippine tradition with readings, choir pieces and congregational hymns. This was on a slightly rearranged format to past occasions and drew a very good attendance from the parishioners and further afield. The whole service, which concluded with Benediction, was extremely well thought out and presented by the musicians as well as the Sanctuary party

On Thursday evening we had Christmas in the City presented by Artes Christi, an Australian organisation, who are performing a series of such concerts and carol services in Sydney, Rome ( the Australiian Domus ), Oxford, London ( St Patrick's Soho Square ) and Paris ( Notre Dame and the Madeleine ) as well as having a pilgrimage to Assisi.

Artes Christi was established in 2001 and seeks to evangelise through culture. Their website can be viewed at arteschristi.org.au Their motivation and methods are clearly similar to those of the Oratorians, and they look to be a group well worth supporting.

With them was their Chaplain, Fr Bill Milsted, parish priest of St Peter Surry Hills NSW. This was the parish which hosted the group of fifty from the Oxford Oratory who were led by Fr Daniel to World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008.

This was an excellent concert, including compositions by members of the group as well as music by, amongst others Bach, Handel and Stainer, as well as congregational pieces.