Local Pastoral Ministry

An Important Presence in Oxford

Located on the busy central thoroughfare of St Giles, the Priory Church offers a central Catholic place of worship in Oxford, which is open from before Lauds in the morning until the end of Vespers in the evening.

Despite not being a parish church, the chapel attracts a sizeable congregation, who are attracted by our preaching and our way of life, and come to share in our worship, receive pastoral care, and have their faith shaped by the intellectually stimulating environment of Blackfriars.

Local people join the community every day of the week for public worship, including sung Divine Office, and daily Mass.

Involvement in Local Ministries

The friars collaborate closely with the parishes of the local deanery, hosting in part the annual Corpus Christi procession and assisting according to need with student, hospital and prison ministry, and in providing ministerial cover for parishes.

Friars and lay students have been involved in assistance to the homeless. The Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust run by members of the congregation provides considerable assistance to communities in the developing world.

Public lectures and regular groups offer local residents and students alike access to Catholic perspectives on a range of questions.