Sunday 1st March 2026
Second Sunday of Lent (A)
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Every Friday in Lent at 6.30pm.
LENTEN MUSICAL ORATORIES WITH THE FATHERS
Spiritual discourses, music and prayer in the tradition of St Philip Neri will take place in the Oratory Church at 6.30pm on Wednesdays during Lent. The first evening on Wednesday 25th February will feature members of the Oratory Choir and include music by Pergolesi, Monteverdi and Cererols. Click here for more information.
FUNERAL SHIRLEYBELLE CORRIGAN
Shirleybelle Corrigan, a long-standingfriend of the Oratory, died peacefully after a long illness on 13th February in Longbridge Deverill Nursing Home, Wiltshire. Her funeral Mass will be on 5th March at 11am in the Oratory Church. All welcome. May she rest in peace.
QUARANT’ORE – FORTY HOURS’ ADORATION
Tuesday 17thMarch: 6.30pm Solemn Mass of Exposition (Latin). Procession of the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration until 12 midnight. Wednesday 18th March: 7.00am Blessed Sacrament exposed. 6.30pm Holy Hour and Benediction. Adoration until 12midnight. Thursday 19th March: 7am Blessed Sacrament exposed. 7pm Mendelssohn’s Lauda Sion, followed by Solemn Benediction.
ORATORY CATHOLIC ENQUIRY GROUP
The Oratory runs a course of instruction for those wishing to explore and learn more about the Catholic faith. The classes are principally intended to support those interested in becoming Catholic (whether or not already baptised), and those wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation as an adult. The course, which covers the basics of Catholic teaching and practice, begins on Tuesday 17th March at 8pm in St Joseph’s Hall at the Oratory, and meets weekly on Tuesdays at the same time. See also here.
THE ROMAN MASS NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK
Fr Michael Lang’s acclaimed study The Roman Mass: From Early Christian Origins to Tridentine Reform has now been published in paperback by Cambridge University Press and is on sale in the Oratory Bookshop for £25. Fr Lang’s A Short History of the Roman Mass (Ignatius Press) is also available for £12.
TYBURN MARTYRS TALK
“What’s so special about Tyburn?” Learn about the “seed blood” of the martyrs and how Tyburn came to be. Tyburn Convent, 8 Hyde Park Place, W2 2LJ on Wednesday 18th March at 6pm. Light refreshments provided. RSVP cenacletotheholyspirit@yahoo.com. The talk is free, but donations for the convent welcome.
LENTEN APPEAL 2026
Each year, the Diocese of Westminster uses donations from the Lenten Appeal to support the work of services, such as Marriage & Family Life, Youth Ministry, and Education. Funds are also used to support Caritas Westminster, which works for and with some of the most vulnerable people in our Diocese. Please take a donation envelope today, for more information. You can use the QR code to make your donation online. Thankyou for your generosity. See also https://rcdow.org.uk/donations/lenten-appeal/.
MARY’S MEALS: COLLECTION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY
Mary’s Meals is inviting you to a collection of your foreign currency (no matter how old or obscure). Special Mary’s Meals envelopes are available at the back of church for your foreign coins and notes. Please return these envelopes to the Oratory House. Currently the charity feeds over 2.4 million young children one good meal every day in their place of education. Because of their low costs they can do this for as little as £19.15 per child per year. By giving Mary’s Meals your foreign currency you can help feed the next hungry child.
STABAT MATER CONCERT
As part of a Lenten devotion, on Wednesday 18th March at 6.45pm in Westminster Cathedral, the Cathedral Choir and the Britten Sinfonia will perform a concert of reflection on the ancient Marian hymn, contemplating the sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross: MacMillan’s Stabat Mater, and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. As a way of encouraging parishes across the diocese to benefit from this spiritual preparation to the Holy Week, the Cathedral offers an opportunity to buy tickets at a discount of 50%. Discounted tickets are available in Sections A, B and N at the following link: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F00638BCD835BA6?did=50off Password: WCSBDO. The performance will begin with Sir James MacMillan in conversation with Fr Patrick van der Vorst, our Precentor and Founder of the Christian Art website.
CHRISTUS MEDICUS
A group for Catholic university students of the healthcare professions and biosciences. This semester (February to April 2026) six lectures will be delivered by a range of special guest speakers on the theme: An Introduction to Catholic Bioethics. The group meets on Wednesday at 6pm in the Chaplaincy room of King’s College London: Guy’s campus. For more information, and to sign-up, please email Laurence Jasper (laurence.jasper@kcl.ac.uk) using your university email or see https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/christus-medicus-group-at-guys.
IGNATIAN SPIRITUAL EXERCISES FOR MEN
Five-day Ignatian retreats formen only conducted in English by the Benedictine Fathers of Abbaye Saint-Josephde Clairval in Flavigny (France): 30th April–5th May at Benburb Priory, Co. Tyrone,Northern Ireland; 23rd–28th July in Kilsheelan, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. For more information and how to book, click here. Contact abbey@clairval.com.
HELPING THE HOMELESS AND NEEDY IN OUR AREA
HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton) run a morning shelter to assist those who are homeless or vulnerable at St Augustine's Church, 117 Queen's Gate, SW7 5LP, every Thursday 9.30am–1.30pm. They need all sort of help (hosting, washing up, sewing, cleaning). If you are willing to spare some time for this service (you do not need to stay the whole time) or would like to know more on how you can help, please email HTB (mentioning that you heard about this from the Oratory) at shelter@htb.org.
ORATORY SCOUT GROUP
Our Scouts Group has moved under the umbrella of the Catholic Scouts of Europe and is now ready to accept new applications for boys from School Years 3 to 6 (Cubs), Y7 to Y11 (Scouts) and girls between Y3 to Y6 (Guides Cubs), Y7 to Y11 (Guides). Email oratoryscoutgroup@bromptonoratory.co.uk.
CHILDREN’S AREA
On Sunday mornings, St Gregory’s Library at the back of the Church is made available to parents whose children become restless during Mass. There are books and some toys. Entrance is through the Sacred Heart Chapel at the back of the church. Children must be supervised by their parents at all times.
MASS INTENTIONS
Click here for more information.
CONTACTLESS GIVING AVAILABLE
Click here for more information.
For a larger donation, please consider a bank transfer, because we have to pay a percentage fee for any card payment. For our account details, please contact generalenquiries@bromptonoratory.co.uk. Please add your first and last name as a reference, to help our bursar.
The Oratory very much depends on your contributions, and we thank you in advance for your generosity.
GIFT AID – HELPING THE ORATORY
If you are a UK taxpayer, the Oratory can claim back from the Inland Revenue 25p of every £1 you give, at no cost or inconvenience to you. Setting up a Gift Aid arrangement helps the Oratory to increase its income (click here for the forms).
PRIEST REFERENCE FOR SCHOOL APPLICATIONS
Parents who wish one of the Oratory Fathers to give their child a school reference must register with the “Mass Attendance” scheme. Registration forms are available from the Oratory House.
UNABLE TO GET TO MASS ON SUNDAYS?
The Oratory runs a bus service staffed by volunteers to help the elderly and/or incapacitated attending the 11am Mass each Sunday. The minibus has a lift for wheelchairs and volunteers help passengers go to Holy Communion if required. The service is available to parishioners and those who live in the Fulham and Earl’s Court areas. Please email generalenquiries@bromptonoratory.co.uk or telephone 020 7808 0900 if you are interested in making use of this service, or if you would like to volunteer as a driver or helper.
PSYCHOTHERAPY AND LIFE COACHING
Wilfrid’s House is a BACP-accredited, registered charity based at the Oratory and committed to helping people cope with life’s challenges`. Through low-cost counselling and psychotherapy, they support individuals who are going through challenges such as anxiety, depression, inability to cope with daily life, relationship issues, and bereavement. Through low-cost life coaching, they support individuals who are feeling overwhelmed and unable to move forward with purpose. Whether you are struggling with change, big decisions or simply day-to-day life, coaching offers emotional and practical support, enabling clarity and structure and helping you achieve your goals. Further information at www.wilfridshouse.org.
For job vacancies in the Diocese of Westminster, see https://jobs.rcdow.org.uk/.
INFORMATION FOR MARRIAGE
If you would like to be married at the Oratory, we will need at least 6 months notice. For the initial enquiry please come to the Oratory House in person and ask to speak to the priest on duty (see Hours of Duty below). All subsequent meetings, bookings and arrangements will be done through him, so please make a note of his name! No wedding bookings will be taken over the telephone or by email.
If you do not normally worship at the Oratory, please state the name of the church where you usually attend Mass and give the reasons you wish to marry here (for instance, personal connection to the Oratory or one of our schools). It is important to approach the church first before making your plans for a reception venue. We do not have weddings on a Sunday.
There are various arrangements and legalities, both civil and ecclesiastical which need to be attended to. You will also need to undergo a course of preparatory instruction about the sacrament of marriage. Speak to the priest for more details.
Hours of Duty:
Monday-Saturday: 9.30am-12.00noon; 3.00pm-5.30pm.
INFORMATION FOR BAPTISM
According to canon law, “Parents are obliged to see that their infants are baptised within the first few weeks. As soon as possible after the birth, indeed even before it, they are to approach the parish priest to ask for the sacrament for their child, and to be themselves duly prepared for it” (Code of Canon Law, can. 867 §1).
Those wishing to have their child baptised should contact the Oratory House and ask to speak to the priest on duty. All subsequent meeting, bookings and arrangements will be done through him. It will be necessary to meet with the priest for a class on the sacrament of baptism.
Normally baptisms take place in the parish where a family is resident. If you do not live within the territorial boundaries of the Oratory parish but have a good reason for wanting to have your child baptised here, please explain that to the priest on duty. In such cases your own parish priest will need to give permission for the baptism to take place at the Oratory.
The choice of godparents (sponsors), who are to help the baptised to live a good Christian life and faithfully to fulfil the duties inherent in baptism, is an important one. “There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each” (Code of Canon Law, can. 873). A godparent must be a Catholic of not less than sixteen years of age, who has been confirmed and who lives a life of faith that befits the role to be undertaken. A baptised person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community may be admitted in company with a Catholic sponsor as a Christian witness.
EXPLORE WHITFIELD
EXPLORE WHITFIELD