The Oratory’s group for young adults (aged 18-35) meets monthly, usually on Thursday evenings.
Meetings take place in St Wilfrid's Hall, the entrance to which is in the forecourt of Oratory House.

The hall opens at 7.45pm, with a talk at 8pm, and a social afterwards (with hot snacks and drinks) until 10pm.

Please note the age range for this group (18-35); if you are outside this bracket, there are many other parish groups and opportunities available, which are listed here.

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Upcoming Events

The following meetings are scheduled:

Monday 17th November, 8pm: The Blood of the Martyrs
(John Pontifex, Aid to the Church in Need); with special guest Tobias Yahaha

Talk Summary: Drawing on more than 20 years visiting Christian communities in places of acute danger where persecution has been rife, John Pontifex, Head of Press & Public Affairs at the Catholic chairty Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will bring to life the stories of some of the most remarkable individuals willing and able to make the ultimate sacrifice for their faith. Looking at examples from Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq and Syria, he will show how the example of Christian heroism continues to shine out in our own times and how this can inspire and challenge our own faith. His talk comes in the run-up to #RedWednesday, the ACN initiative to shine a light on persecuted Christians and John’s talk will suggest ways we can come together to support the persecuted Church today who sorely need our help in prayer, giving and solidarity.

At this talk we will also have the privilege of hearing from Tobias Yahaya, a 26-year old Catholic Catechist from northern Nigeria. One night Tobias, who is a married father of four, was lying in bed when extremists broke into his house and stabbed him in the chest. Later in hospital, the doctors found that the stab wound was inches away from major arteries, and said he was lucky to survive. The case went to court where it turned out that Tobias's attackers knew full well he was a Catechist and were bent on punishing him for witnessing to Christ. It took him three months to recover, and, having prayed about the incident with his wife and children, he says “we are determined for me to continue as a Catechist...sometimes I am afraid, but I stand on my feet because of my faith...we will do whatever it takes to share our faith."

Speaker Bio: As Head of Press & Public Affairs for ACN (UK), John has been researching and writing about the situation for Christians in situations of persecution and oppression since 2002, carrying out fact-finding visits to countries including persecution hotspots past and present including Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt, Eritrea and Nigeria, where he went earlier this year. He is the founder and editor of ACN’s international publication Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith which has reported on Iraq in every edition since the research project was first established in 2006. He was invested as a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre in November 2023.

Please click here to register to attend.

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Monday 1st December, 8pm: Science: God’s New Ally
Talk and Book Launch Event for “God: The Science, The Evidence - The Dawn of a Revolution”
(Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies)

Talk Summary: For more than four centuries, the scientific discoveries of Copernicus, Galileo, Darwin, and Freud created the impression that we could explain the workings of the Universe without the idea of a creator--God. By the beginning of the twentieth century, materialism had become the dominant theory of the time. And yet, with unexpected and astonishing force, the pendulum of science has swung back in the other direction, owing to a rapid succession of discoveries: the theory of relativity; quantum mechanics; the Big Bang; the theories of expansion, heat death, and fine-tuning of the universe. This newly acquired knowledge has upended the certainties of the twentieth century collective consciousness. Once the only acceptable theory, materialism is increasingly considered an irrational belief. In their recent book, God: The Science, The Evidence - The Dawn of a Revolution, which has sold over 400,000 copies and is newly-released in English, authors Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies retrace the fascinating history of these scientific breakthroughs and offer a rigorous overview of the new proof of the existence of God. The talk will present some of the major breakthroughs discussed in the book. Afterwards there will be a opportunity for young adults to purchase a copy of the book at the heavily discounted price of £10 (RRP £22) (payment by card, please). 

Speaker Bios: 
Michel-Yves Bolloré is an engineer and entrepreneur whose career spans industrial innovation and philanthropic investment in education. A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieur de Toulouse and Paris-Dauphine University (Master of Science and Doctorate in Business Administration), he began his career in the family business, managing the Bolloré Group’s industrial division from 1981 to 1990. In 1990, he founded France Essor, an industrial group that led major ventures in mechanical engineering, and steel manufacturing. Since relocating to London in 2011, he has focused on educational and cultural projects. He founded several schools, including The Laurels in London and Les Vignes in France. He is also a Knight of the Legion of Honor.

Olivier Bonnassies is an entrepreneur and author whose work bridges science, reason, and faith. A graduate of the prestigious École Polytechnique (X86), the HEC Start-up Institute, and the Catholic Institute of Paris (B.A. in Theology), he has founded several companies and has dedicated much of his life to exploring the intellectual foundations of belief. Formerly a non-believer until the age of 20, Olivier has since authored more than twenty works—including books, videos, shows, screenplays, and articles—that delve into the rationality of faith and the intersection of science and spirituality.

Please click here to register to attend.

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