Fourth Sunday of Easter (C)
Third Sunday after Easter
HABEMUS PAPAM! LET US PRAY FOR OUR NEW POPE LEO XIV:
Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon Your servant Leo, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him according to Your loving kindness in the way of eternal salvation; that, of Your gift, he may ever desire that which is pleasing to You and may accomplish it with all his might. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
CHILDREN’S MASS IN THE LITTLE ORATORY
There will be a Children’s Mass in the Little Oratory this Sunday at 11.15am. The Children’s Masses are usually held on the second Sunday of the month.
In the month of May, the ROSARY will be prayed every day 20 minutes before the evening Mass.
SPECIAL COLLECTION FOR THE DIOCESAN PRIEST TRAINING FUND
This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday, and there will be a special collection for the Priest Training Fund of the Diocese of Westminster. The Fund supports the training of seminarians, the education of priests for special ministries, and on-going formation of priests. Your gift helps to provide training for these men responding to Christ’s call to dedicate their lives serving the Church. Please pray for vocations. Donation envelopes are available at the back of the church. You can also make your donation online at https://rcdow.org.uk/donations/priests-training-fund/. Thank you for your generosity.
APPEAL AND SPECIAL COLLECTION FOR MARY’S MEALS
At all Sunday Masses on 17th/18th May, there will be a brief appeal and a special collection on behalf of Mary’s Meals, a charity that serves nutritious school meals to children living in some of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a good meal attracts these hungry children into the classroom, giving them the energy to learn and hope for a better future. For more information, see https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/.
OUR HOLY FATHER SAINT PHILIP
Monday 26th May is the Feast of our Holy Father Saint Philip Neri. Masses will be at 7am, 8am, 12.30pm, and at 6.30pm will be a Solemn High Mass, with a sermon by Fr Patrick Van Der Vorst, Precentor at Westminster Cathedral.
Thursday 22nd May at 6.30pm: Holy Hour & Benediction, followed by Triduo Devotions
Friday 23rd May at 6.30pm: Triduo Devotions and Benediction
Sunday 25th May at 3.30pm: Vespers & Benediction, followed by Triduo Devotions
ORATORY SUMMER FÊTE
The Oratory Summer Fête will take place on Saturday 21st June, from 12noon to 5pm. All are welcome! Stalls include games for children, fashion, books, and bric-a-brac. We need savoury dishes and puddings for the food tent: Please contact Marion on marion.r.cowley@gmail.com or 07980 682 808. If you would like to volunteer, please email: oratorysummerparty@gmail.com. The proceeds of the Summer Fête are for the London Oratory Charity.
ORATORY BOOKSHOP & REPOSITORY
The shop is usually open: Sunday 10am–5.30pm. Monday 10am–1pm and 2pm–6pm. Tuesday 10am–1pm and 2pm–6pm, Wednesday 11am–3pm, Thursday 10.30am–3pm, Friday 10am–1pm and 2–6pm. Saturday 10.30am–4pm. As the shop is staffed by volunteers, times may vary. To confirm opening hours, please phone the Oratory House (02078080900). Fr Michael Lang’s new book A Short History of the Roman Mass is on offer for £12. The shop is also now selling 1962 missals for £50.
WEST LONDON CATENIAN INVITATION
The West London Catenians have had monthly meetings in this area for over one hundred years. The Catenians are a socially oriented group of Catholic men. Meetings are followed by a meal where they are regularly joined by wives and widows. The social program might include a theatre visit or a trip on the river as well as a short holiday. The calendar also includes Masses for vocations and deceased brothers. Prospective members are warmly welcome and invited to a first meeting. There is more information on the leaflet at the back of the church. For a short video about the Catenian experience, see https://www.thamesvalleycatenians.org.uk/ or email jim.fitzpatrick@talktalk.net.
TALKS ON THE NICENE CREED
The second of three talks to celebrate the Jubilee Year and the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea will be at Allen Hall Seminary (28 Beaufort Street, Chelsea, SW3 5AA) on Saturday 7th June at 3pm. The talk entitled “The Holy Spirit – Tast and Dynamism of Hope” will be given by Canon John O’Leary, Rector of Allen Hall, who teaches philosophy at the seminary and lectures in theology at St Mary’s University Twickenham. You are invited to stay for refreshments after the talk and enjoy a tour of Allen Hall with an explanation of its rich history starting at 5pm. You are also most welcome to join the Allen Hall community for Vespers at 5:30 pm. This will end with devotions to the Douai Martyrs – including veneration of St Cuthbert Mayne’s relic. The evening will finish at about 6pm. Just coming for the talk is fine. To help plan for numbers, please register to attend by emailing parector@rcdow.org.uk.
JUBILEE YEAR INDULGENCES
The Diocese of Westminster has produced a guide how to obtain the plenary indulgence for the Jubilee Year, without the need to travel to Rome or other pilgrimage centres around the world. The guide is available as https://rcdow.org.uk/jubilee-2025/the-jubilee-indulgence-step-by-step/
CONFRATERNITY OF THE HOLY FACE
Devotion to the Holy Face of Christ, which flourished in the late medieval and early modern period was revived in the nineteenth century by the saintly Sr. Marie de St. Pierre (1816-1848), Carmelite nun from Tours, France. Subsequently, the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face was founded, which has among its principal objects the rendering of a special homage of respect and love to the Holy Face of Christ, which was disfigured in His Passion. For more information and how to be enrolled in the Confraternity of the Holy Face, please click here.
SPIRITUAL EXERCISES FOR MEN
Five-day Ignatian retreats for men only conducted in English by the Fathers of Abbaye Saint-Joseph de Clairval in Flavigny (France): Sunday 13th to Friday 18th July in Creeslough, Co. Donegal, Ireland, and Tuesday 22nd to Sunday 27th July in Kilsheelan, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. For more information and how to book, see https://www.clairval.com/en/spiritual-retreats/retreats/.
HELPING THE HOMELESS AND NEEDY IN OUR AREA
HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton) run a morning shelter to assist those who are homeless or in vulnerable at St Augustine's Church, 117 Queen's Gate, SW7 5LP, every Wednesday 8am–1.30pm and Thursday 9.30am–1.30pm. They need all sort of help (serving, 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
CONTACTLESS GIVING AVAILABLE
Click here for more information.
You can also donate by bank transfer or via Stripe (see here). For a larger donation, please consider a bank transfer, because we have to pay a percentage fee for any card payment. Our account details are:
Account Name: London Oratory Charity
Sort Code: 60 04 04
Account Number: 18192947
Please add your surname and first 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-12.00pm; 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.