The Oratory Birmingham (RC)
Opening hours:
Very restricted opening times due to services.
Services
| Sunday | Solemn Mass 10.30, Vespers 19.30 |
Facilities
Website:
www.birmingham-oratory.org.uk
E-mail address: musicdirector@oratory.globalnet.co.uk
Telephone
Oratory House
0121 454 0496
Music
Director of Music
Nicholas Johnson
(since )
Organ
The organ was rebuilt by Nicholsons in 1987 incorporating much pipework from previous organs. It
has 61 stops over 4 manuals. The gallery organ is also by Nicholson (1864), originally
at Clent PC, rebuilt by Harrison & Harrison in 1904 and rebuilt at the Oratory by John Pryer
and Paul Parsons.
Cathedral
Provost
Father Paul Chavasse
(since )
Building
The Oratory was founded by John Henry Newman in 1848 and established in its present site in
Edgbaston in 1851. Due to shortage of funds there was only a temporary building for the
'congregation of priests' as initiated by St Philip Neri of Rome in the 16th century. A permanent
building was begun in 1903 as a memorial to Cardinal Newman and consecrated in 1920. It is a
classical church in the Renaissance style with pedimented facade, low dome, shallow apse, and
basilican nave with 6 monolithic Corintian columns. The polychrome stone and redbrick cloister
quandrangle of Newman was left intact.
FCM at Birmingham
FCM Grants
| 2006 | £500 |
FCM Diocesan Representative
Canon John Craig.