Changes within the English Oratories: Fr Ignatius Harrison has been appointed Provost of the Birmingham Oratory

A Reluctant Sinner (link) 20.9.2011

The Very Rev Ignatius Harrison CongOrat, who is currently the Provost of the London Oratory (more commonly known as the Brompton Oratory) was today also appointed Provost of the Birmingham Oratory. This appointmentby the Holy See follows the sudden resignation of the Very Rev Richard Duffield CongOrat. This information was released in an email by the Catholic Communications Network, though is yet to appear on the Bishops' Conference website's media page.

According to the press release, Fr Duffield resigned for reasons of ill-health, at his own request. Though, especially in light of the recent events at the Birmingham Oratory, in which the community seems to have suffered from internal disagreements, many will wonder whether there is more to this story than meets the eye.

Peter Jennings, Press Secretary to the Archbishop of Birmingham, reports that "Fr Gareth Jones, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, a former novice at the Birmingham Oratory, has been appointed as Assistant to Fr Harrison."

It was also announced today that Fr Ignatius Harrison will be the new Actor and Vice-Postulator for the Cause of Blessed John Henry Newman, who was beatified just over a year ago on 19 September 2010.

No details have been released as to whether or not Fr Harrison will now leave his position at the London Oratory, or whether there are plans to replace him there.

Please keep both Fr Harrison and Fr Duffield, as well as the London and Birmingham Oratories in your prayers.

Open letter to all Oratorians in the United Kingdom

To Fr Felix Selden, Fr Ignatius Harrison, Fr Richard Duffield & all Oratorians in the United Kingdom.

With just hours to go before the Holy Father beatifies Cardinal John Henry Newman at Cofton Park, we beg you to allow Fr Dermot Fenlon, Fr Philip Cleevely and Br Lewis Berry to attend this most important event in the life of the Birmingham Oratory.

One can only imagine the humiliation, the pain and the mental torment that these three men are suffering at not being allowed to attend the beatification of the man they have made it their vocation to follow. 

Please look deeply into your heart and ask yourself afresh:-

• 
  
  what is it that these three men have done?
• 
  
  do they deserve to be punished so severely?
• 
  
  is there no way that they can be afforded the dignity of standing beside their brothers at the beatification of their founder?

With every good wish, 

Friends & Supporters of the 'Birmingham 3'  

Little Oratory Brothers silenced.

Catholic & Loving It! blog - Lovingit Locums - 30.8.2010
http://www.lovingit.co.uk/

Over at the Little Oratory's blog there has been an 'appeal for circumspection' in relation to the situation at the Birmingham Oratory.

The 'Long Suffering Rector' says:

"As we are all only too well aware, the situation in the Birmingham Oratory is far from happy, and has given rise to a great deal of comment and speculation in the press.


It would be most unhelpful were any Brother of the Little Oratory in London to be seen to be making public or semi-public statements on this matter.


We must refrain from any comment when asked by outsiders, other than to say that it is an internal matter for the Birmingham House, and must be careful not to discuss this situation amongst ourselves where there is the possibility of our being overheard. We must also refrain from entering the fray of comments in the blogosphere.

We should be praying - not indulging in conjecture and gossip."

Let's see how long it takes for someone to mention Godwin's Law...