Although the invitation to Pope Benedict to come to England was first issued a year ago by the former Prime Minister, Mr Brown, one of the factors that undoubtedly persuaded him to accept the invitation was the opportunity it gave him to beatify Cardinal Newman here in his own land. It is most unusual for the Pope to perform a beatification. Pope John Paul II used to do so, but he had broken with the custom long since established whereby beatifications are celebrated in the new Blessed’s own diocese by a Cardinal representing the Pope, rather than by the Pope in person.

    Pope Benedict has a personal veneration for Cardinal Newman’s teaching, for his wonderful faithfulness to Christ and His Church, and his great love for Our Blessed Lady. His profound teaching on conscience, as the key to understanding our true human dignity and our purpose in life as creatures called to union with God, is a great witness in our times when God is considered superfluous to human existence. The Pope therefore wants to draw particular attention throughout the world to this great and holy man who founded our Oratory and lived his entire Catholic life in our city.

    Moreover, it was not originally envisaged that the Pope would be able to visit the Oratory, but the change of venue for the beatification Mass from Coventry Airport to the more appropriate setting of Cofton Park, so much loved by the Cardinal and only half a mile from his burial place, made it possible for the Pope to call in to pray at the Cardinal’s new shrine and see the room in which he lived, prayed and worked for forty years. He will then leave to join the Bishops of England, Scotland and Wales at Oscott College, where Newman was confirmed after his reception into the Church, and where he preached one of his most famous Catholic Sermons to the assembled Bishops of England and Wales in 1852. The Pope will then return to Rome on Sunday evening. His presence here in Birmingham at three sites, all associated in some way with our Cardinal, is a tremendous privilege for our city and for our Oratory alike.

    1. MASS AT THE ORATORY: Because of the Beatification Mass at Cofton at 10 a.m., followed by the Pope’s personal visit to the Oratory, there will be ONLY ONE MASS in church that Sunday, at 8.30 a.m. Entry will be by the Plough & Harrow Road door only and as there may be a search, bags should not be brought in. There will be no Sunday evening Mass at all. N.B. The Saturday evening Vigil Mass will take place as usual at 5.45 p.m.

    2. WELCOMING THE POPE TO THE ORATORY: we still await final instructions on this, but hope that it will be possible for our own parishioners who have not been at Cofton Park to stand outside the Church and House entrance on the Hagley Road to welcome the Pope as he arrives and wish him well as he leaves. We will put up notices as soon as we know.

    3. VISITS TO THE NEW SHRINE: we hope that it will be possible to allow pilgrims to visit the shrine on the very day of the beatification, but this will probably not be until some time after the Pope has left for Oscott.

    4. VESPERS AND BENEDICTION: will be celebrated at the usual time of 7.30 p.m. in the presence of many bishops from around the world. All our parishioners are encouraged to take part in this, the first liturgical celebration in our Church in honour of the new “Blessed John Henry Newman”.

    5. On the following day, Monday 20th September, there will be various groups celebrating Masses during the morning. The Oratorian celebration for all our parishioners and visiting Oratorians will be a High Mass, presided over by the Provost, Fr Richard, at 6.30 p.m. Please come and join in the celebrations especially on Sunday and Monday evenings!

    Immediately after the Pope’s visit and given the new status of Cardinal Newman as “Blessed John Henry”, there will be changes to our weekly timetable in church as previously aired in the Newsletter. 

    SUNDAY MASSES WILL REMAIN THE SAME. The only difference to the weekend Mass schedule is that the Saturday evening Vigil Mass for Sunday will be celebrated at 5.30 p.m., not 5.45 as at present. On Sunday evenings, Vespers and Benediction will be celebrated at 6.30 p.m., an hour earlier than previously, to encourage more to take part in this beautiful evening prayer service of the Church. Other changes on weekdays and on Feast Days that fall during the week will be announced shortly. However, the Mass times on ordinary weekdays will remain the same as at present. Changes will principally affect some of the other services like Benediction, Rosary and the other evening Devotions.