St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott

St. Mary's Catholic Seminary, Oscott College. Forming men for the priesthood since 1838

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Three reasons to follow a Catholic seminary:

1️⃣ Building the culture of priestly vocations: every follow, prayer, and share matters. 2️⃣ A steady witness to beauty, purpose, and faith in a noisy world. 3️⃣ Our story is your story: nearly 200 years of living history.

Have we convinced you? Sign up: https://t.co/UomWqOsN5G

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Douglas' top 3 tips for prayer 🙏

1️⃣ Kneel: the effort itself helps align you.
2️⃣ Scripture: give it real attention, not a passing read.
3️⃣ Pray where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed.

Which one would you try first?

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

The Feast of St John Henry Newman. 🙏
"God has created me to do Him some definite service…"
He was confirmed in our college chapel, and preached his famous "Second Spring" sermon here in 1852. We give thanks for his witness, and ask his prayers for the Church in our land.

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Give thanks with us: this September, we welcome eleven new seminarians to Oscott.

Each arrives having said yes to exploring where God might be calling him, without yet knowing where that path will lead. It's no small thing to step into that uncertainty, and we're deeply grateful for their willingness to do so.

Please join us in praying for these men as they begin their formation with us, and in giving thanks to God for their courage in answering His call to explore.

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

After the tranquillity of the summer break, Oscott burst back into life at the start of September, as we welcomed eleven new seminarians from across England, Scotland and Wales. It’s great to see so many new men in the community, and it has been a joy to get to know them these last few weeks. Having settled in during their induction days, the new seminarians got chance to meet the rest of the house on a series of community days which began our new term.

Following the welcome barbecue on the first night back, the college community travelled the next day to Harvington Hall for the annual Archdiocese of Birmingham pilgrimage to this shrine to the martyrs. The Mass this year was celebrated by His Excellency Miguel Maury Buendía, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain. The following day, we welcomed the Nuncio to the college, where he met with our community and priests of the Archdiocese, then celebrated Mass and joined us for lunch. It was a great honour to have the Holy Father’s representative with us at the start of the new year.

Aside from the visit, our community days gave us opportunity for some discussion and social time. We talked together about aspects of the formation programme and listened to the experiences of Douglas and Filip, two of our seminarians who went on a missionary experience in Canada with Catholic Christian Outreach. We talked about new “discipleship groups” we are forming in the college, which will meet weekly for Lectio Divina and at least monthly for some discussion. The afternoons were given over to more active pursuits: a hotly-contested game of rounders on the Monday, and karting on the Tuesday afternoon. A competitive spirit was evident for both! At the end of the community days, the whole house took part in a time of prayer of blessing for the college at the start of the new year. This involved prayers for God’s protection against all evil, a procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the college, and the blessing of the whole building with holy water. This time of prayer was powerful and also very moving, reassuring us of the Lord’s closeness as we begin a new year together.

Fr Andrew Allman | Vice-Rector

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

HIDDEN TREASURES | The Pietà 🕊️

The word "Pietà" is Italian, meaning both piety and pity, and describes the scene of the body of Jesus placed in his mother's arms after the Crucifixion. The image spread rapidly across Europe from the late medieval period onwards - the most famous example being Michelangelo's, carved for St Peter's, Rome, around 1499-1500. The Pietà is also a conscious, deliberate echo of the Nativity: the Mother once more holding her Son.

Our own Pietà is 17th century, probably Italian, and carved from a single block of wood, polychromed and painted by hand. The sculptor set up a deliberate contrast between mother and son: Christ is shown in stark white, a mark of his purity, while His mother was originally painted a rich, dark red - now appearing almost black with age. Look closely at the edge of the Virgin's veil, where traces of that original red and gold are still visible, and at small flakes of gold still clinging to the folds of Christ's cloth.

A quiet, sorrowful image - and a fitting Hidden Treasure for the month in which we keep the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Curious about more of our Hidden Treasures? Why not book in a visit and see the College and Museum? https://t.co/7xjYGgSuTC

#Oscott #HiddenTreasures #CatholicHeritage #Pieta #SevenSorrows #SacredArt

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

St Mary's College, Oscott is open to visitors: come and see the Pugin-designed chapel and grounds for yourself.
📅 23 Sep, 7 Oct, 21 Oct, 4 Nov 🔗 Book: https://t.co/leWSrp8kIb

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

A top 5 museum favourite: this Mother of Pearl baptismal scoop features an intricate Last Supper carving and shell motif, symbolising a lifelong pilgrimage of faith. 🐚✨

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

It was a great honour and joy to host the @WeBelieveFest again this year. The grounds of our seminary saw approximately 2,500 people - families, clergy, religious, poets, artists, priests, and of course our own seminarians - gathering to celebrate in this festival of Catholic life.

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

@StNewmanParish We are so glad you enjoyed your time with us!

[StNewmanParish @StNewmanParish]

A wonderful afternoon pilgrimage with our Youth Group today to St. Mary’s Seminary, Oscott.

Many thanks to Fr. Michael who gave us a guided tour of the college and made us so welcome. Thanks also to Douglas who is a Birmingham Seminarian who spent time with us answered some very good questions from the young people.

As always our young folk were a credit to the parish! We are so blessed!

After our tour, a time for snacks and then a time for some very searching questions we also enjoyed taking part in the college’s Blessed Sacrament Procession, Evening Prayer and Benediction.

Pray for our seminarians and pray for our young people and vocations to the Priesthood.

[Birmingham Vocations @AskInvitePray]

Today on the @RCBirmingham Vocations Prayer Calendar, we pray for Filip Gronkiewicz @FilGRonk, one of our seminarians at Oscott. @OscottCollege

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Join us at Oscott for a special symposium celebrating the elevation of St John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Church! Across two days, leading scholars, clergy and guests will explore Newman’s theology, education, imagination and enduring relevance for the Church today.⠀

Begins Friday 1 May with a free public lecture by Fr Guy Nicholls⠀
Full symposium continues Saturday 2 May with papers, Mass, lunch, panel discussion, Adoration & Vespers

Free parking | Lunch included | Limited accommodation available⠀ ⠀

Set in the very place where Newman preached his famous Second Spring sermon, this promises to be a rich and memorable gathering. ⠀

🎟️ Booking essential: https://t.co/QJxOtR8Qkc
⠀ ⠀ #Newman #Oscott #Catholic #Theology #DoctorOfTheChurch #BirminghamEvents #FaithAndReason

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Can you be a Jewish Catholic? 🤔

Join us at Oscott for the launch of "From Sinai to Rome: Jewish Identity in the Catholic Church" - an evening that explores one of the most profound and often misunderstood questions at the heart of faith.

With insights from Dr Angela Costley (Lecturer in Wisdom, the Prophets, and New Testament Greek at Oscott), Prof. Gavin D’Costa and Prof. Lawrence Feingold, and an introduction by Bishop Timothy Menezes, this promises to be a rich and thought-provoking conversation.

Rooted in Scripture and the Church’s living tradition, we’ll reflect on identity, fulfilment, and what it means to belong to the one People of God - “grafted” into the same olive tree.

🍷 Drinks reception to follow
📍 St Mary’s College, Oscott

All are warmly invited: come along, listen, and be part of the conversation. Entry is free, but sign up is required to book your place.
https://t.co/3VSLpKwAGS
Published by @IgnatiusPress

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Members of the Oscott community are praying for the repose of the soul of Professor Judith Champ, who died peacefully in the early hours of Easter Sunday morning. Judith was a Dame of the Order of St Sylvester, an academic who devoted herself to studying and promoting Catholic History, and author of a number of books. She served Oscott over several decades, as a lecturer, member of the formation staff, Director of Studies and, after retirement, as a trustee and supporter of the college.

Judith was also a friend, colleague, and mentor to so many, through her work in research and in the formation of men for the Catholic priesthood. We give thanks to God for the gift of her life and for her unwavering dedication to the research and preservation of Catholic history. She had a particular gift for bringing history to life to illuminate the mission of the Church in our own times, a gift which she generously shared in her work in the formation of men for the priesthood.

We pray for the happy repose of her soul. She left this life on the day of the Lord’s resurrection; may she now share in the fulness of His risen life.

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Have you got your tickets for our next organ recital on 8th February? Come and spend an hour or two surrounded by beauty - Pugin's stunning architecture, and Nigel Morris' musical mastery on our 19th century organ.
Get your tickets here: https://t.co/85XMLDQCq4

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Dr Angela Costley, Oscott's Lecturer in Scripture and Greek, invites us to look again at the world Jesus was born into, and the long story that prepared the way for Him.
Read the full conversation at https://t.co/mkHvGO6KyI

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Tomorrow, 4 of our seminarians along with 1 from the English College, Rome, will be ordained to the diaconate in the Latin Rite. Please keep our new deacons in your prayers!
🕊️ “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” (Mk 10:45)

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

🎄 ✝️In the delights of preparing for Christmas we sometimes forget that Advent is a time of deep spiritual preparation for the coming of God made Man. In this cosy fireside chat, Fr Michael and Fr Andrew share their top 3 tips for getting closer to Christ this season.

[St. Mary's Seminary, Oscott @OscottCollege]

Dr Sarah Boss, lecturer in Dogmatic Theology at Oscott, shares her extraordinary journey into the Church. Now teaching seminarians in Mariology, she reflects on how devotion and theology come together in Our Lady. Read the full interview here: https://t.co/mkHvGO6KyI