The Little Oratory: May 2008

A blog for those who make up the Little Oratory in London. This blog serves the purpose of notifying Brothers of upcoming events at the Oratory.

The Little Oratory is a group of men with the status of a confraternity. The first Little Oratory was formed by St. Philip Neri, and was made up of young men who went to Confession to him at the church of San Girolamo in Rome. They would meet in his room there for prayer and recreation, and for daily Mass and Confession. They visited the hospitals daily, and took the Discipline several times a week. They also made the pilgrimage of the Seven Churches together, especially at Carnival time, and their devout and recollected demeanour converted many.

The Brothers of the Little Oratory in London meet every Sunday at 4.30pm in the Little Oratory, for Spiritual Exercises and then tea in St Wilfrid's Hall.

"Look down from Heaven, Holy Father, from the loftiness of that mountain to the lowliness of this valley; from that harbour of quietness and tranquillity to this calamitous sea. And now that the darkness of this world hinders no more those benignant eyes of thine from looking clearly into all things, look down and visit, O most diligent keeper, that vineyard which thy right hand planted with so much labour, anxiety and peril. To thee, then, we fly; from thee we seek for aid; to thee we give our whole selves unreservedly; thee we adopt for our patron and defender. Undertake the cause of our Salvation, protect thy clients; to thee we appeal as our leader: rule thine army fighting against the assaults of the devil; to thee, kindest of rulers, we give up the rudder of our lives; steer this little ship of thine, and, placed as thou art on high, keep us off all the rocks of evil desires, that with thee for our Pilot and our Guide, we may safely come to the port of eternal bliss. Amen."

The Little Oratory

Tuesday, 20 May 2008

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