Papal Blessing for a CAFOD Volunteer
May 26, 2026
Twenty Years of Prayer and Fellowship
May 28, 2026
On Good Shepherd Sunday (and World Day of Prayer for Vocations), 45 parishioners from Sacred Heart Church, St Ives, joined Fr Trindade Monteiro, priest-in-charge, for a parish pilgrimage to St Mary’s College, Oscott to celebrate the Diocesan Golden Jubilee. Parishioner Ellen Kemp reports.
The parish chose to visit the college to celebrate the Jubilee as many priests who have served the parish were trained at Oscott, and the college continues to train priests from East Anglia today. In addition, the parish wished to celebrate the link between Oscott and Sacred Heart Church, as both buildings carry a legacy of work by Augustus Pugin.
Therefore, on a gloriously sunny day, pilgrims were welcomed to the college by seminarians Stephen (from the Diocese of Leeds), Neil (from the Diocese of Clifton), and Fr Justin Karakadu SDV, Formation Tutor MA – Spirituality & Homiletics.
Stephen and Neil provided a history of the college and then each outlined their personal story of God’s call to them to study for the priesthood, as well as the many stages of the training programme, which parishioners found fascinating. Stephen, a former schoolteacher, will be ordained to the diaconate at the end of the year, God willing, and Neil, a former engineer with a car manufacturer, is in his fourth year of study.
The parish group were given time to explore the college’s beautiful chapel, designed by Augustus Pugin, before enjoying a delicious afternoon tea. This was followed by a tour of the college museum, where an exhibition wholly devoted to Saint John Henry Newman, Doctor of the Church, was available to peruse.
At 5 pm, Fr Trindade and the pilgrims joined the Very Reverend Michael Dolman, Rector, formation staff, students, and other members of the college community in Pugin’s stunning chapel for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.
The service was a truly memorable event, and all pilgrims felt very blessed to have participated in the beautiful and sacred celebration with members of the college community.
