| Events, exciting opportunities, and reflections from our Rector |
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| | During the month of June, like many parishes, we hold a blessed sacrament procession around the grounds of Oscott. The procession is a reminder that through the circumstances of our lives, we are called to keep our eyes on Jesus and to trust and follow him. On most mornings in the seminary with gather as a community in the chapel for a holy hour and our first prayer together is the Angelus. The words of the collect are significant: “Pour forth we beseech thee O Lord, thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ thy son was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.” In the Eucharist, the Paschal Mystery – our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection - is communicated to us in a dynamic and life-giving way.
Our faith in the Paschal Mystery means that there is no longer such a thing as a good day or a bad day! God is sovereign over all situations. God is at work in every situation. The gift of Faith helps us to know this and to remain at peace. We might say, “things are going well at the moment” or “I’m finding things difficult this week”. It’s conversation. But actually, things, like the weather, just are. I will have a time of weariness, an hour of trial, a time of tension. In the light of the Paschal Mystery all of these situations are the context for our growth and transformation.
This transformation in Christ is a very concrete and personal matter. The crosses that each of us receive in life are tailor made for us, Baron Friedrich Von Hugel advises, “How greatly we add to our crosses by being cross with them”. It is good to notice our feelings, our emotional reaction to things, inclinations, passions - but then try to look more deeply – where do I need to grow? Where do I need God’s grace, what is this situation teaching me about myself? Where does my natural love and capacity to manage situations need to give way to Christ’s love? There is need for a daily dying and rising, in faith, a participation in The Paschal Mystery. It is the pattern for each Christian to be ever more immersed in the New Life of Christ, which we draw from our daily encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist.
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| Canon Michael Dolman Rector |
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| | | | Laudato Si Volunteers
Following on from the success of the programme of retreat days for primary school groups in 2025, we are now looking for more volunteers to support the roll out to secondary school pupils in Autumn 2026. Six volunteers are required . See volunteer description for further details. |
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We are hosting two of our June retreat days on the 12th and 26th. Keep a look out for upcoming dates for Laudato Si for the month of September and the next academic year! |
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| | | From public events to guided tours and special liturgies, a lot happens at our seminary that you can get involved in… |
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WeBelieve festival brings thousands together to our grounds, to encounter Jesus Christ in His Church.
Join us from 24th-27th July, 2026 at the historic and beautiful setting of St Mary’s College, Oscott for a feast of the True, the Good and the Beautiful.
It’s an unmissable opportunity to discover the traditions and charisms that flow through the Church, to grow in authentic community, and to encounter the transforming love of God.
Day tickets and group savers are still available with the full programme now released!
In this episode, John Withers, Director of the WeBelieve Festival, talks about the growing renewal of Catholic life in the UK and the future of Christianity in Britain. Watch the Catholic Truth Society video on “Catholic Revival in Britain. Inside WeBelieve Festival” for some insider knowledge! |
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Oscott Celebrates the Appointment of New Canons |
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On June 2, 2026, Fr Rob Taylerson, Spiritual Director at Oscott College, alongside former lecturer Fr Harry Curtis, were installed as a Canon of the Metropolitan Chapter at St Chad’s Cathedral. The ceremony, featuring the traditional Rite of Installation, Profession of Faith, and Promise of Obedience, was celebrated with staff and seminarians. See St Chad’s website for further details of the celebration and their YouTube account for a video recording. |
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| | | | Greek and Latin Beginner Courses! |
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Maryvale Institute are launching online Greek and Latin for Beginners courses for £300 each, starting in September. |
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| | | | Faith, Fraternity and Fostering Future Shepherds
On Tuesday, 19th May 2026, St Mary’s College, Oscott, proudly played host to the 160th Annual General Meeting of the Oscotian Society. As our cherished alumni network, the Society remains firmly dedicated to preserving and strengthening the unique bonds of friendship forged during our seminary years. This fellowship traverses generations of ‘old boys’ who serve the dual purpose of keeping old friendships alive while offering the next generation of diocesan priests our spiritual and practical support. The festivities commenced on Monday evening with a dynamic social itinerary. The afternoon began on the pitch with a spirited football match, followed by a relaxed evening of fraternity over a gin and tonic or two in the seminary common room. Intellectual and spiritual formation also took centre stage as the membership gathered to hear from the highly gifted Fr Guy Nicholls CO, priest of the Birmingham Oratory and seminary lecturer. Fr Guy delivered a wonderfully edifying lecture on Saint John Henry Newman, exploring his legacy as a Doctor of the Church and Patron of Education. In recognition of the recent passing of honorary member and beloved friend, Professor Judith Champ, we have undertaken from next year to name the academic lecture in her honour as a fitting memorial to her remarkable legacy as a teacher and formator of priests. Following Monday’s trustee meetings, the full membership met in plenary for the Tuesday AGM. It was a very warm and generous gathering. A central highlight of the meeting was the practical manifestation of the Society's core mission: investing in our future priests. The plenary proudly approved grant funding for two seminarians to undertake a summer pastoral trip to Canada. This immersive trip will allow them to experience firsthand the vital, privileged, and challenging work of youth chaplaincy in an international context. The spiritual peak of the gathering was celebrated in the seminary chapel under the watchful gaze of our patron, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom. Bishop Richard Walker— honorary president for 2026 and a familiar face to many as a former vice-rector—celebrated a deeply uplifting Mass that beautifully raised hearts and minds in worship of Almighty God. The day concluded in true Oscotian style with a festive luncheon. The refectory was filled with vibrant laughter, tales from the parish and fond reminiscences of the ‘good old days’. Our thanks to the rector, staff and wonderful seminarians for their characteristically warm welcome! Looking ahead, our membership will reunite next year from 10th–11th May 2027 to continue this vital work of supporting those who come after us and preserving the remarkable living history of Oscott College. A Warm Invitation: If you have not attended Oscotian Day before, or if it has been several years since you last walked through the doors of the college, why not make the journey next year? Come home to Oscott next May for a time of renewed fraternity, fellowship, and prayer. Fr Thomas Clarke Oscotian Society Chairman |
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Join us as we welcome James Luxton to the College Chapel!
Career highlights include playing the organ during Pope Benedict XVI's 2010 visit to Oscott College, where the Pope addressed the Catholic bishops of England and Wales; the event was broadcast live on television. He has also appeared as a solo recitalist, and as a orchestral organist with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Worcester Three Choirs Festivals in 2011 and 2014; he has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4 as both organist and conductor. In recognition of his contribution to the profession of music, James was awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (HonRBC) in 2015.
Enjoy an engaging program of music performed on the original college organ, gifted by Birmingham Industrialist John Hardman in the stunning surroundings of the college's Gothic chapel, decorated by A.W.Pugin.
Refreshments will be served after the recital so please do stay for a drink. Those who would like to join the community for evening prayer afterwards would be very welcome. |
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| Step behind the gates of Oscott and uncover its hidden history and beautiful grounds, museum, the chapel, library, and quad, and glimpse life inside a working seminary today. End the afternoon with tea and cake in the refectory. Everyone is welcome. |
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| | Pray with us
Join the seminarians and staff at Oscott for a Sunday Holy Hour, including sung Vespers (Evening Prayer of the Church) and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. An opportunity to pray before the Lord Jesus, present in the Eucharist, in the beauty of Oscott's chapel. |
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| The Oscotian Magazine 2025-2026 |
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The Oscotian is the Official Annual Publication of St Mary’s College Oscott. Edited by our seminarians, every issue is a time capsule of our year, sharing key stories and reflections from our students and staff.
Make sure you are signed up to our newsletter so you receive the official release of our new edition which is set to be published online in coming weeks. |
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| Our latest blog:FAITH, IMAGINATION, AND THE AGE OF AI: REFLECTIONS ON THE OSCOTT NEWMAN SYMPOSIUMSt Mary’s College recently hosted a symposium exploring St John Henry Newman’s theological legacy to address modern challenges, including the rise of Artificial Intelligence. Participants found that Newman's insights on the necessity of human witness and the power of imagination offer a vital counterpoint to the limitations of AI. For more details, visit the St Mary’s College, Oscott website. |
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| | Our organ is 188 years old - and in need of your help! |
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Our chapel organ has been at the heart of our daily worship since 1838 and is in urgent need of restoration. Will you help us raise £150,000 to preserve its music for generations of seminarians and all who pray here? |
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Do you have friends who are interested in seminarian life? Why not invite them to join the Oscott Newsletter?
Feel free to forward them this email so that they can get a sense of what we’re about. We love to promote personal invitation to grow the support of Oscott College and we really appreciate it whenever our subscribers help us to spread the word.
If you know anyone who could benefit from an introduction to Oscott College, please share the following link with them: |
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