A visit to Oscott

We recently visited the seminary at Oscott College, Birmingham together with the Maryvale Institute for the final session of the new Certificate in Altar Server Studies course.

The course has been running for the last 6 months, with those enrolled meeting monthly in on-line sessions, each one led by a different tutor from Maryvale with modules on Formation, Understanding the Catholic Church, Sacred Scripture, Liturgy and Sacraments, Leadership and People and finally Service. The course is the first of its kind designed specifically for Altar Servers.

After coffee and introductions, the Vice-Rector, Rev Fr Andrew Allman first gave a session on Vocations before we had a guided tour of the College Library which contains an extensive collection of the works of St John Henry Newman. Newman himself was resident for a time at Oscott and it was here that he gave his famous ‘Second Spring’ address at the 1st Provincial Synod of Westminster conference in 1852.

A Sung Mass in the chapel followed celebrated by Rev Dr Michael Cullinan (Deputy Director of the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences) assisted by two deacons and the priests of the college, with some of those on the course serving.

After lunch, Fr Cullinan led the afternoon session discussing the history of liturgy, followed finally by Deacon Dr Harry Schnitker (Director of Maryvale Higher Institute of Religious Sciences) who closed out the course in review and his own experiences.

We’re grateful to the Maryvale Institute and Oscott College for hosting us and developing this course with us. Registration is now open on our website for the next intake in September.

https://www.guildofststephen.org/certificate

All photos in the Flickr album.