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.


Sunday 23 July 2023

Renewed Indulgences at Our Lady of Oxford


our-lady-of-oxford-large
Our Lady of Oxford

Image: Oxford Oratory

The Oxford Oratory has announced the renewal of the Indulgences attached to the painting of Our Lady of Oxford Mother of Mercy in their church of St Aloysius.

The image of Our Lady of Oxford can be found in the Relic Chapel, next to St Philip’s Chapel. This image, depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary as ‘Mother of Mercy’, was brought to Oxford in the late nineteenth century by Hartwell de la Garde Grissell. Grissell, who had been a member of the Papal Household, had showed the image to his friend, Pope Pius IX, who in 1869 granted indulgences to those who recited certain prayers before the image. Grissell bequeathed the contents of his private chapel - including an extensive collection of relics - in his house in the High Street to the church of St Aloysius when he died in 1907, and what was the baptistery was converted into the chapel as we see it today to house it all. Very regrettably virtually all of Grissell’s bequest of primary relics of saints and other memorabilia was destroyed in the 1960s.

The indulgences granted by Pope Pius IX expired at the beginning of 1969 in the wake of   Indulgentiarum Doctrina issued by Pope Paul VI in 1967, but this year the Oratory applied to have them reinstated. The Oratorians are very pleased to announce that the Apostolic Penitentiary, in the name of the Holy Father, has renewed the grant of indulgences as follows:

• A partial indulgence applicable to the Holy Souls is granted to anyone who recites the Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen) before the image.
• A partial indulgence is now granted to anyone who recites the Litany of Loreto before the image of Our Lady of Oxford.

The feast of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, is the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of July. (The feast would have been yesterday, but this year the date coincided with the feast of St Mary Magdalene.) The Litany of Loreto will be sung after the Sunday Solemn Mass this weekend. There are devotions to Our Lady of Oxford every Saturday after the 10am Mass.

With acknowledgments to the Oxford Oratory 


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