St Bede's Hall, Oxford

Last week, solemn Benediction was celebrated at the Church of St Aloysius, Oxford (under the care of the Oxford Oratory) to mark the official recognition of St Bede's Hall, Oxford as a Catholic institution after Archbishop Nichols (while still Archbishop of Birmingham) signed and ratified the constitutions. St Bede's is an independent college established to provide Study Abroad students with tuition in a small and supportive institution.

In the decree establishing St Bede's, Archbishop Nichols recalled that the express purpose of St Bede's was to assist the Universal Church so that
"the Christian outlook should acquire a public, stable and universal influence in the whole process of the promotion of higher culture".
I recently met Fr Sebastian Jones, the Chairman of the Board of Management, at a meeting of the Society of St Catherine of Siena. I was delighted to hear of the new college and I pray that it will be blessed with great success.

The St Bede's Hall website gives details of courses, fees, and other practical information. The Hall is accepting undergraduate students from overseas for study in the summer of 2009 and for the 2009–10 academic year.

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