In(ter) dependence Week at the Oxford Oratory


This all sounds great fun. The Oxford Oratory blog reports that The rebels are getting closer. They are raising funds for their "Reaffirmation and Renewal" campaign.
You are warmly invited to attend In(ter)dependence Week at the Oxford Oratory from 3rd-9th July. This is a week of fantastic events celebrating American culture in Oxford in aid of the Oratory's fund-raising campaign "Reaffirmation and Renewal". There is plenty of variety and everyone should be able to find an event that suits them.

It kicks off with a music festival at the Perch on Saturday 3rd July. Headlining at this beautiful pub on the Thames will be L'Angelus, a Cajun fiddle swing band from Louisiana. There will also be a host of other jazz and folk performers along with entertainment for children such as face-painting. You can buy a £5 pass which will get you 25% discounts on food and drink - all proceeds to go to the Oratory's fund.

Sunday 4th July, Independence Day itself, will be marked with all-American music at the 11 o'clock Mass and a sermon by a member of the Brooklyn Oratory.

On Monday 5th July, the church will be hosting Adam Brakel, the celebrated American organist, and the International Baroque Players in an exclusive concert entitled "Adventures in the New World." It will start at 8pm and tickets cost £12 (£8 concessions).

On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons of the same week, there will be walking tours of Oxford with Oriel historian John Whitehead exploring different eras in the history of the city and university. Meet at the Oratory church at 2pm. Tickets cost £12 (£8 concessions) per tour, or as a special rate for both tours, £20 (£12 concessions). This includes a cream tea back at the Oratory at 4pm.

On Wednesday 7th July, there will be a talk in the church entitled "An American Remembers CS Lewis" by Lewis' last secretary, Walter Hooper. This starts at 8pm and tickets cost £5.

As a grand finale to the week, there will be a formal dinner on Friday 9th July at Harris Manchester College, Oxford. Tickets include a champagne reception with live harp music, a three course dinner, an after dinner talk from Fr Richard Duffield, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory, and a charity auction. Tickets cost £75 and can be booked through the campaign website.

Programmes detailing all these events will be on sale at the Lodge and after every Mass at the Oratory. Tickets will be available on the door for all these events, except the dinner, for which advance booking is required. Please do support one, or more (or all!) of the events and do your bit for the restoration and expansion of the Oxford Oratory!
Further details here.

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