One more step.....

Robert Colquhoun was received into full communion with the Catholic Church at Newman House in 2004, and was a regular member of the Cathsoc at King's. He is now in formation for the priesthood at Allen Hall for the Archdiocese of Westminster. Robert has done many exciting things since his days as a student, including working with the World Youth Alliance.

Robert, and a number of other seminarians, will mark a significant step on the way to ordination when they are admitted to the ministry of Lector at Allen Hall on Saturday 10 May, at 6pm. Please pray for them.

The Reverend Edward Houghton is currently a deacon. He too was once a resident at Newman House and, Laus Deo, will be ordained to the priesthood at Westminster Cathedral by the Cardinal, on 31 May. We rejoice with him, and ask God to bless him richly as he prepares for his ordination. Ad multo annos!

Mass in the Extraordinary Form at Newman House

Earlier this year a small group of students asked me to provide for Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal, “in accord with the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum”. In his motu proprio, the Holy Father granted permission for priests to celebrate the older form of the Roman Rite 1. in private, by any priest; 2. where a stable group of the faithful request it; 3. where a parish priest deems it pastorally appropriate.

None of those conditions exist at Newman House. 1. I have no desire to celebrate Mass privately, whether in the ordinary or extraordinary form; 2. Students are not a stable group, but are only here temporarily; 3. I am not a parish priest.

I therefore felt it necessary to refer this matter to the local bishop, the Cardinal, who is responsible for the liturgical life within his diocese. The Cardinal has agreed that there should be one such celebration at the Chaplaincy per Academic Year, and I am very happy to follow his suggestion.

There are several opportunities for students to attend Mass in the extraordinary form within very easy walking distance of Newman House. These include Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane, St James, Spanish Place, and St Etheldreda, Ely Place. The Oratory in Brompton is also well known for offering Mass in the extraordinary form. The desire of those Catholics who wish to attend Mass in the extraordinary form is therefore well catered for.

Nevertheless, since the Roman Rite is the patrimony of the Catholic Church, and the extraordinary form is the expression of the Roman Rite that formerly obtained, I believe it would be a useful part of developing a fuller experience of the Catholic tradition for students to be exposed to this form of the Roman Rite.

I discussed this matter at length with the Area Dean, and with a representative of the Latin Mass Society. The LMS and Fr Phipps have kindly agreed to assist us by the provision of servers and other requisites for the celebration of the extraordinary form.

A Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite will be celebrated in the Newman House Chapel on Saturday 10 May 2008 at 10.30am.

Fr Peter Wilson
Senior Chaplain

Vocations

A piece by Jerome Santamaria (Resident at Newman House 2004-5) on the vocations page of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, that is well worth a read.

http://www.catholicvocation.org.au/news-and-events/good-shepherd-sunday.html

Variety Night

This coming Friday Newman House will host an evening of entertainment laid on mostly by the residents. The acts are coming in thick and fast, and there will be something to suit every taste.

If YOU have an act you would like to offer, please sign up at reception and have a word with one of the Senior Students a.s.a.p.

It's always a wonderful evening - so roll up, roll up!

Vocations Sunday

Good Shepherd Sunday (the 4th of Easter) is always designated as the world day of prayer for vocations. It seems like a good opportunity to post about one of our alumni who is discerning God’s call to him.

Paul Reilly was resident at Newman House in 2003-4, and began his discernment with the White Fathers in January 2007. Known for a wry – nay, wicked – sense of humour and self-effacing modesty he endured with good grace the teasing that is to be expected about being an American abroad!

Things are going well here with the White Fathers. I'm currently in Guadalajara, Mexico and just about to complete my first full year of philosophy. The fathers in the US sent me to Mexico because that's where the majority of the vocations are for the White Fathers in the North American province. That meant that, starting last summer, I had to brush up on my Spanish in order to get it to the state whereby I could enrol in philosophy classes here. It's been quite an interesting ride, but I've enjoyed it. I've done surprising well in my courses and have had some wonderful pastoral experiences, especially during this past Holy Week when we were sent out to some small poor villages to help the understaffed local clergy with their responsibilities.

At first I was quite sceptical of coming to Mexico for the first part of my formation as I obviously feel called to a vocation serving the Church in Africa, but, just as I have in every location I have had the privilege to call home over the past few years, I have been blessed by God to see his presence in all with whom I have come in contact. I'll be heading home in May for 3 weeks holiday before heading off to Quebec City, Canada for a 6-week course in French, which will help me get ready for the novitiate in Burkina Faso (which will be in French), where, if God so chooses, I'll go in September 2009. So, one more year of philosophy and then the real fun begins...in Africa!

Please remember Paul in your prayers, and all of our alumni who are in formation.

Easter Vigil 2008 Part 1

A few images from the celebration of the Lord's Resurrection.

Some of the congregation gathered around the New Fire.

The New Fire is blessed, and the light is passed to the Paschal Candle (which, by the way, took three attempts in the wind!)

The Assembly gathered in the Chapel with the candles lit from the Paschal flame.

Ben is Baptised.
Claudia is baptised.

Eugene is Baptised

Simon is received into full communion with the Church

The Newly-Confirmed

The Neophytes, the Newly-Received, and the Newly-Confirmed

The Neophytes. Please offer a prayer for these new members of Christ's Church.

Holy Week 2008

Even though Term is coming to an end for some, we carry on with a full programme for Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum.

Palm Sunday: Mass with Procession of Palms 10.30am

Holy Thursday:

Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper 7.30pm

followed by the Watching until Midnight, and visits to the Altars of Repose in neighbouring churches.

Good Friday: Office of Readings & Morning Prayer 11am

Celebration of the Lord's Passion 3pm

Holy Saturday: Office of Readings & Morning Prayer 10am

Easter Vigil of the Lord's Resurrection 8pm

Easter Sunday: Mass 10.30am.

Here's a photo from last year to give you a taster of Palm Sunday. Look in our archives at April 2007 (and scroll down) for more pictures.

4th Week of Lent: Events

Lent continues apace! Here are some of the events taking place during the coming week.

Sunday 2nd March
Second Scrutiny
We continue to accompany with prayer those who are preparing for baptism, and for those to be received into the Church at Easter.

Monday 3rd March
UCL CathSoc: Dorothy Day 7.30pm
Fr Martin Newell will speak about the life and work of Dorothy Day, and her passion for Social Justice.

Wednesday 5th March
Adoration from 6-7.30pm. Benediction at 9pm

Contraception: Are those Catholics Crazy? 7.30pm
Professor Janet Smith from the Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit will speak about the value of the Church’s teaching about this sometimes difficult question.

Thursday 6th March
SOAS CathSoc: Social Justice & Humanitarian Aid: Is there a need for more?
Monika Chmelova (SOAS Room 102, 5.30pm)

Thursday 6th March
Disputing Dawkins II: Was Jesus God? Rev Dominic Rolls, 7pm

Students are welcome to take part in any of these events (which take place at Newman House unless otherwise stated).

Preparing for the Easter Sacraments

Lent is a time of Baptismal Preparation, and the whole Church unites in praying with and for those who will be welcomed into the Church at Easter - either by Baptism or by Reception into Full Communion with the Catholic Church.

On the First Sunday in Lent all the Catechumens (those preparing for Baptism) and Candidates for Reception gather with the Bishop for the Rite of Election. In this wonderful ceremony the Catholic community prays for them and the Bishop "Elects" them to receive the Sacraments of Initiation in these words:

Then I declare you now to be members of the elect, to be initiated into the sacred mysteries at the next Easter Vigil.

Our 3 catechumens, Claudia, Ben and Eugene, and our candidate, Simon, participated in the Rite of Election at Westminster this past weekend. The Cardinal presided over the Liturgy, and afterwards there was an opportunity to greet the auxiliary bishops.

Please pray for them as we hasten towards Easter and their full inclusion in the Catholic Church.

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple Visit.

Last week Sister Mary 'marched' a group of 'Newman Housers' and others along to the BAP's temple in London. We left from Newman House and enjoyed an afternoon train ride out of the city centre, busily reading up on the history of Hinduism and the temple we were to visit. Again we 'followed' Sister Mary (who walked faster than any student, even taking into account Sebastian's height advantage over her). We arrived just in time and were welcomed into the temple by a guide. We removed our shoes and began listening to our host. We heard some very interesting stories about the history of the temple and how it was built, down to the marble designs and wood crafting. We were then led into the prayer rooms, which were made to accomodate over a thousand people and designed to let in natural light via large room windows and electric powered blinds to keep the building cool. At one end of the room was a huge platform with a mock temple made from Polystyrene, and behind that a vast screen, designed for projections. Afterwards we were escorted to another room, along the way Sebastian asked a few questions.... We took our seats and watched a video of the temple's history and its importance to the Hindu community. There followed a question and answer session, from which we were treated to a new guide, a kindly gentleman who informed us all of 'the facts of life', he provided a light hearted and somewhat amusing account of his faith.

We were then taken into the worshipping temple and spent some time in there looking at all the different colourful images and statues. It was an insight to see how Hindu's worship and pray inside their temple.

Before we left, there was just time to take a look around the gift shop which a certain member of our group really seemed to appreciate, especially the 'smellys'. If there are any interesting new 'insense' scents drifting from the chapel over the coming weeks look no further than your Sacristan to lodge complaints. I'm sure we all enjoyed an insightful and eye-opening day, our thanks to Sr Mary for organising it all.