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Palm Sunday (C)
PALM SUNDAY CAR PARKING
Because of the procession there will be no parking available this Sunday until 12 noon. The following Mass will start at 12.45pm (not 12.30pm).
LENTEN MUSICAL ORATORIES WITH THE FATHERS
Wednesday 16th April at 6.30pm: Tenebrae of Maundy Thursday with members of the Oratory Choir.
THE SACRED TRIDUUM AT THE ORATORY
MAUNDY THURSDAY 17TH APRIL
6.30pm Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Watching at the Altar of Repose until midnight.
GOOD FRIDAY 18TH APRIL
10.00am Tenebrae. 12noon Children’s Stations of the Cross.
3.00pm Liturgy of the Passion. 6.30pm Stations of the Cross.
HOLY SATURDAY 19TH APRIL
10.00am Tenebrae. 9.30pm Easter Vigil.
HOLY WEEK CONFESSIONS
PALM SUNDAY
Oratory Church
After 8.00am, 9.00am and 11.00am Masses and 6.00pm to 6.50pm
MONDAY TO WEDNESDAY
Oratory House
9.30am to 12.00noon
3.00pm to 5.30pm
Oratory Church
12.00noon to 12.30pm
5.30pm to 6.00pm
MAUNDY THURSDAY
Oratory House
9.30am to 12.00noon
3.00pm to 5.30pm
Oratory Church
12.00noon to 12.30pm
5.30pm to 6.15pm
GOOD FRIDAY
Oratory Church
10.00am to 12.00noon
2.00pm to 2.45pm
5.30pm to 6.30pm
HOLY SATURDAY
Oratory Church
10.00am to 12.45pm
3.00pm to 6.00pm
COLLECTION FOR HOLY PLACES
On Good Friday there will be the annual collection for the Holy Places. Your offering will contribute to the custody of the places in the Holy Land connected with the lives of our Lord and the biblical saints.
ST GREGORY’S LIBRARY
St Gregory’s Lending Library will close for Easter at 6pm on Wednesday 16th April and will re-open at 11am on Saturday 26th April.
MAY GOD BLESS YOUR GENEROSITY
The special collection for the annual White Flower Appeal of the Society of the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) on 15th/16th March raised £1,590. Many thanks on behalf of SPUC!
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.
CHARITY RECITAL IN ST WILFRID’S HALL
On Friday 25th April, Rachael Shipard and Christian Jenkins warmly welcome you to join them in the Easter Octave on an exhilarating exploration of victory through works by composers, such as Schubert, Korngold, Rachmaninov. The recital will be in support of the Grief to Grace Charity. Tickets are available at the door or from this website.
ORDER OF MALTA CAMPAIGN IN AID OF THE HOLY LAND
The Order of Malta in Great Britain is hoping to raise £200,000 to support the Order’s work in the Holy Land. After the ceasefire earlier in January between Israel and Hamas, Malteser International will use funds to support its humanitarian work responding to varying critical needs in Gaza (hospital supplies and medical aid), Lebanon (mobile food kitchens and medical support), and Bethlehem (support for the Holy Family Hospital). Any donation is gratefully welcomed. For more information and how to donate, click here.
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/
ANNUAL MASS FOR MATRIMONY
Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 17th May, at 2.30pm. Our Cardinal Archbishop is inviting to this Mass all couples in the diocese who are celebrating their 5th 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th (and any year over 60) anniversary of Catholic marriage in 2025. If you are celebrating such an anniversary and want to take part in this Mass, please contact Fr Michael Lang at michaellang@rcdow.org.uk by 24th April, and give him the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, number of years married, postal address and email (or phone number, if no email).
DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES
The annual diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes led by Cardinal Nichols will take place from 25th July to 1st August. Registration is now open via the online form at https://pilgrimages.rcdow.org.uk or by contacting the Pilgrimage Office on 020 7798 9173. Options to travel by plane or train are available and there are many volunteering opportunities for those wishing to serve. All applications to join this year’s pilgrimage need to be submitted by Wednesday 30th April.
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
St Gregory’s Library will remain open on Sunday mornings for parents whose children become restless during Mass. During redecoration of the Sacred Heart Chapel, entrance will be from the Church porch. Children must be supervised by their parents at all times.
ST GREGORY’S LENDING LIBRARY
We need more volunteers to open St Gregory’s Library during the week from 11:00am to 12:30pm and from 4:30 to 6:00pm. If you can spare a couple of hours to help, please contact David Campbell (phone 07768 176 848).
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 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.