St. Mary's College, Oscott
Encyclopedia
St Mary's College, Oscott, often called Oscott College, is the Roman Catholic
seminary
of the Archdiocese of Birmingham
, England
, though it admits students for the priesthood from various dioceses of England & Wales, as well as some overseas students. Recently it has also become the Diocesan Centre for the formation of candidates for the Permanent Diaconate
.
The College was founded in Old Oscott
, in present day Great Barr
, in 1794 both for the training of priests for and for the education of lay pupils. It developed out of a small mission founded by Fr. Andrew Bromwich
around 1687. In 1838 the college moved to a new site, which came to be known as New Oscott
. The new building was designed by Augustus Pugin
and Joseph Potter
at a cost of £40,000. It is grade II* listed. The college quickly became a symbol of the rebirth of the Catholic faith in England and played a prominent part in the life of the Church in the 19th century. In 1889, the college was closed, but reopened the following year as a seminary only. The college is not immune from the scarcity of vocations but nevertheless has approximately 30 students and therefore produces about five priests a year.
Pope Benedict XVI
visited on 19 September 2010 following the beatification
, earlier that day in Birmingham's Cofton Park
, of Cardinal Newman who stayed at the College in the late 1840s. During his visit to Oscott, Benedict met and had lunch with the Roman Catholic Bishops of England, Scotland and Wales. The Oscott visit was the last scheduled event during the four day 2010 State Visit of Benedict to the UK
. The Pope would later depart the UK from Birmingham International Airport.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of the Archdiocese of Birmingham
Archdiocese of Birmingham
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham is one of the principal Latin-rite Catholic administrative divisions of England and Wales in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, though it admits students for the priesthood from various dioceses of England & Wales, as well as some overseas students. Recently it has also become the Diocesan Centre for the formation of candidates for the Permanent Diaconate
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
.
The College was founded in Old Oscott
Old Oscott
Old Oscott is an area of Great Barr, Birmingham, England . The suburb forms a triangle bounded to the north by Pheasey, to the west by Perry Beeches, and to the east by Kingstanding. The Birmingham City Council ward that covers the area is called simply Oscott.The area has been known locally as...
, in present day Great Barr
Great Barr
Great Barr is a large and loosely-defined area which straddles the boundaries of Birmingham, West Bromwich and Walsall , West Midlands, England...
, in 1794 both for the training of priests for and for the education of lay pupils. It developed out of a small mission founded by Fr. Andrew Bromwich
Andrew Bromwich
Andrew Bromwich was an English Roman Catholic priest, a survivor of the Popish Plot, and the founder of the Oscott Mission, which developed into St. Mary's College, Oscott.- Early career :...
around 1687. In 1838 the college moved to a new site, which came to be known as New Oscott
New Oscott
New Oscott is an area of Birmingham, England.It was named after the Oscott area of Birmingham, when St. Mary's College, the Roman Catholic seminary, moved from that site to the new one. The original then became known as Old Oscott....
. The new building was designed by Augustus Pugin
Augustus Pugin
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was an English architect, designer, and theorist of design, now best remembered for his work in the Gothic Revival style, particularly churches and the Palace of Westminster. Pugin was the father of E. W...
and Joseph Potter
Joseph Potter (architect)
Joseph Potter , was an English architect and builder from Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. Potter has a considerable practice in Staffordshire and its neighbouring counties in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Potter lived in Pipehill south west of Lichfield and had...
at a cost of £40,000. It is grade II* listed. The college quickly became a symbol of the rebirth of the Catholic faith in England and played a prominent part in the life of the Church in the 19th century. In 1889, the college was closed, but reopened the following year as a seminary only. The college is not immune from the scarcity of vocations but nevertheless has approximately 30 students and therefore produces about five priests a year.
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
visited on 19 September 2010 following the beatification
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
, earlier that day in Birmingham's Cofton Park
Cofton Park
Cofton Park is a park located in south Birmingham, England.-History:The 135 acres of land land was acquired by Birmingham City Council in 1933 for £10,640 , from the trustees for William Walter Hinde...
, of Cardinal Newman who stayed at the College in the late 1840s. During his visit to Oscott, Benedict met and had lunch with the Roman Catholic Bishops of England, Scotland and Wales. The Oscott visit was the last scheduled event during the four day 2010 State Visit of Benedict to the UK
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom from 16 to 19 September 2010 was the first state visit by a pope to the United Kingdom...
. The Pope would later depart the UK from Birmingham International Airport.
Notable alumni
- Edwin de LisleEdwin de LisleEdwin Joseph Lisle March Philipps de Lisle, FSA was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Loughborough in England from 1886 to 1892. He was the seventh son of Ambrose Lisle March Phillipps De Lisle....
, MP. - Bishop David McGough, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Birmingham (2007-)
- John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron ActonJohn Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron ActonJohn Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, KCVO, DL , known as Sir John Dalberg-Acton, 8th Bt from 1837 to 1869 and usually referred to simply as Lord Acton, was an English Catholic historian, politician, and writer...
- George Jackson MivartGeorge Jackson MivartSt. George Jackson Mivart PhD M.D. FRS was an English biologist. He is famous for starting as an ardent believer in natural selection who later became one of its fiercest critics. Trying to reconcile Darwin's theory of evolution with the beliefs of the Catholic Church, he ended up being condemned...
- Frederick RolfeFrederick RolfeFrederick William Rolfe, better known as Baron Corvo, and also calling himself 'Frederick William Serafino Austin Lewis Mary Rolfe', , was an English writer, artist, photographer and eccentric...
, Baron Corvo - Bishop Terence BrainTerence BrainTerence Brain is the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Salford.-Education:Brain attended King Henry VIII Grammar School and Cotton College before training for the priesthood at Oscott College, Sutton Coldfield...
- See also: Alumni of St. Mary's College, Oscott
Further reading
- The Oscottian - Literary Gazette of St Mary's College, Oscott. Jubilee edition, 1888
- Oscott College in the Twentieth Century, Michael E. Williams, 2001, Gracewing Publishing (ISBN 0-85244-534-2)