Mass for the feast of Bl.John Henry Newman

Yesterday evening I attended the Solemn Mass to mark the feast of Bl. John Henry Newman at the Oxford Oratory. The principal intention was for the cause of the Cardinal's canonization.

Bl. John Henry Newman

Portrait by Sir John Everett Millais, 1881

Image:westerhamcatholic.com

In his sermon the Provost, Fr Daniel, who was the celebrant of the Mass, spoke of Newman as the man of faith and of reason and drew out the significance of that for this current Year of Faith.

At the conclusion for the recessional hymn we sang a new Latin composition by Fr John Hunwicke in honour of Bl. John Henry, and which skillfully combines traditional structure and style with apposite references to Newman's life and legacy. The hymn was commissioned by the Birmingham Oratory and the text can be read here.

Afterwards, and to continue the celebration, I went off for supper with a fellow Orielensis at which we toasted Newman and his works.

Walking with Bl. John Henry and Bl Dominic to Littlemore

Last night, and for the ninth year in succession, I did the night walk to Littlemore to commemorate the journey of Bl.Dominic Barberi there on October 8th 1845 to receive Bl. John Henry Newman into the Catholic Church. It is always an occasion I enjoy and it combines the narrative of Newman's conversion with places he knew and a chance to reflect on one's own, faltering, spiritual progress.

Here are a set of expandable photos of our journey last night, taken by a friend and which she has kindly forwarded to me to use on this blog: 

As seems to happen whenever the Oratory organises a public procession I get appointed as a marshal with the privilege of wearing a yellow safety jacket - the Provost, Fr Daniel, said to me at the end of the evening that if I am ever canonised the yellow jacket will be one of my attributes...

For many of thjos eon this walking Pilgrimage this was their first visit under any circumstances to Littlemore, and in many ways it is a very good occasion on which to see the College for the first time.

I have to admit that I set off on the walk in a not especially holy frame of mind - my Yorkshire grumpiness was having an outing - but I did find that as we progreesed through the city centre and suburbs and prayed the rosary that sensation began to fade and I had considerably greater peace of mind at the end of the evening than in the earlier stages.

Our route took us from the Oratory to Trinity College, where Newman was a an undergraduate, St Mary's Church, of which he was Vicar, Oriel College, where he was a Fellow, past the site of the Angel inn where Bl.Dominic alighted from the stage coach that wet October evening 168 years ago to be met by John Dalgairns, and past the site of St Clement's church where Newman served his first Anglican curacy. Passing Greyfriars we stopped at Rosemount where Mrs Newman and his suisters lived from 1833 to 1836, and the cottages they used in 1830-33 as a summer retreat and base for nursing the 1831 cholera victims in Littlemore.

We had a candlelit procession from the house occupied by the Sisters of the Work at Rose Hill, and singing "Lead Kindly Light" walked into Littlemore to a Holy Hour with meditations drawn from Newman's writings before the Blessed Sacrament in the modern church of Bl. Dominic Barberi. Finally we went to the College for our final narrative reflection in the library and then veneration of the relic of Bl. John Henry in the restored chapel where he was received on October 9th, and made his first Catholic communion on October 10th 1845.

Confession and Absolution with the Dominicans

The New Liturgical Movement has another post by Fr Augustine Thompson O.P. about the traditional Dominican usage, this time with regard to Confession and Absolution. Fr Augustine is always an informed and lucid exponent of his Order's traditions. As I go fairly often to Blackfriars in Oxford, and am looking forward to the Traditional Dominican Mass there on October 19th, and as I also have a continuing interest in the history of the medieval Dominican house in my home town of Pontefract, I am always attracted to his posts. This latest one can be read at Penance According to the Dominican Rite.

A new Traditional Monastery in France

Rorate Coeli has a post about the abbey at Wisques in the Pays-deCalais which, by agreement with the Bishop of Arras, will from this coming Friday be following the usages, including the traditional form of Mass, as used at the abbey of Fontgombault, which is re-establishing Wisques as a foundation on their own pattern. The post can be seen at Wisques Abbey, the new Traditional Monastery, ready for business (the Opus Dei).

There are other posts about this significant development from The Eponymous Flower at Benedictine Abbey of Wisques Returns Back to Traditional Rite  and from Zephyrinus at Benedictine Wisques Abbey Returns To The Traditional Rite.

As Rorate Coeli points out Wisques is within easy reach of many in south east Engalnd as well as the Low Countries was well as northern France, sonot too difficult to go and see traditional monastic life in action.

 

 

The Last Gospel in the Dominican Rite

Given that the forthcoming Latin Mass Society Oxford Pilgrimage on October 19th will have a celebration at Blackfriars of the traditional Dominican Mass a post yesterday on the New Liturgical Movement is of interest. It is by Fr Augustine Thompson O.P., and can be read at The Last Gospel in the Dominican Rite, and relates the history of this part of the Order's liturgy.

St Anthony's Fire

Very unfortunately early on the morning of last Wednesday, October 2nd, the feast of the Guardian Angels, the very attractive statue of St Anthony of Padua in the church of the Oxford Oratory caught fire and was severely damaged - probably beyond all hope of repair. The statue has been in the church for many years and has been a popular focus of devotion and requests for St Anthony's intercession, and is a sad loss. The cause of the fire appears to have been a votive candle at his feet which initially charred the wooden statue, which then burst into flames. 

 

Images: Oxford Oratory

Very fortunately the fire was discoverd before it could spread further, no-one was injured, and no other damage was done to the church. 

As the Oratory website says we should all give thanks to the Guardian Angels for watching over us. One parishioner said a friend of hers opined that St Anthony took the hit on behalf of the church, which is, of course, suitably saint-like.

The Oratory will be reviewing its safety procedures, and hopes to replace the statue of St Anthony as soon as this can be arranged.

Turning up a Titian or two

The BBC news website has a report of the attribution to Titian of a painting of the Resurrection dated to 1511, and also a link to an earlier post about the attribution to him of a painting of St John the Baptist from a Spanish church. The report can be seen here.

It is interesting that even nowadays pictures can be found to be by greater artists than had hitherto been realised and that our knowledge of their work can be expanded.

Forthcoming events

For any readers who are able to attend here are some events in Oxford, and in one case London. in October and early November which may be of interest:

Tuesday October 8th Night Walk to Littlemore to commemorate the reception of Bl.John Henry Newman into the Church ( "the one true fold of the Redeemer" ) in 1845. The walk begins at 7.45pm in the Oxford Oratory. 9.30pm Candlelit procession from  Rosehill,  10pm Holy Hour in Bl.Dominic Barberi church, conclusion at The College for devotions in the chapel and refeshments. Lifts are normally available afterwards for the return to Oxford. Always a good occasion to participate in.

Wednesday October 9th  6 pm Solemn Mass in honour of Bl. John Henry Newman at the Oxford Oratory.
  
Saturday October 12th  The Rosary Crusade of Reparation, London. Starting at 2.15pm from Westminster Cathedral, the procession will end at Brompton Oratory with Benediction. More details from: http://rosarycrusadeofreparation.blogspot.co.uk

Friday October 18th- Sunday October 20th Forty Hours Devotion at the Oxford Oratory. A highlight of the year - more details to follow. It is also a busy weekend for those keen on liturgical traditional or devotion:
  
Saturday October 19th Latin Mass Society Pilgrimage to Oxford.The annual pilgrimage in honour of the Oxford Martyrs. High Mass in the Dominican Rite at Blackfriars at 11.00am. This is followed by lunch, then procession, beginning at the end of Cornmarket by the church of St Michael at the North Gate, at 2.00pm. The Pilgrimage will then process through the streets to the site of the martyrdomsof 1589 at the end of Holywell Street, the site of the town gallows, and then returns to Blackfriars for Benediction at 3.00pm. Bring packed lunch or have a pub lunch locally.

Meanwhile there is also on the same day

Saturday October 19th "A Seminar on True Devotion to Jesus through Mary" at Greyfriars in Iffley Road, beginning with Mass at 9.30am and talks from 10 until 1. Refreshments will be provided.

Sunday October 20th 12 noon EF Sung High Mass at SS Gregory and Augustine Oxford.

Sunday October  27th  3pm Church of Bl. Dominic Barberi Littlemore will have the celebration of Vespers with Bishop William Kenney, himself a Passionist, presiding to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bl. Dominic's Beatification. 

Saturday November 9th  Stabat Mater  - a recital by Camerata of Curiosities at the Oxford Oratory in aid of the Oratory Appeal at 8pm. Music by Bach, Monteverrdi, Grandi and Sances. Tickets for donations fron £10 to £10,000...