Of Punts and Pilgrimages

The past week has brought with it a number of opportunities for both exploring Oxford and doing some very interesting work on my research.  Last Tuesday, Jonathan, a friend I met through the Oxford Newman Society, invited me to formal hall at Oriel College in Oxford, which is the college where John Henry Newman served as a fellow and a tutor for several years.  Formal hall is a formal, three-course dinner, which takes place every night in the main dining hall at the college.

Dining Hall at Oriel College

After dinner, Jonathan, who is finishing his MBA at Oriel, gave me a great tour of Oriel.  I got to visit the chapel where Newman prayed and preached during his tenure at the college, the common room where he spent many evenings in conversation with his students, and I even got to catch a glimpse of the rooms where he lived (albeit from the outside because they are currently occupied by the chaplain of the college).  Oriel is filled with statues and portraits of its famous students and fellows, and it was fascinating to see so many familiar names and faces from Newman's diaries and letters placed throughout the college.

The window pictured below, which is located in the main dining hall, was Newman's favorite in all of Oriel.  When he was taking the examination to qualify for his fellowship at Oriel, he had something of a nervous breakdown.  When he looked up, however, he caught a glimpse of this window, which was donated by Pierreponte family, benefactors of the college, which reads Pie repone te (a play on the family name), which, translated literally, means place yourself piously (read: chill out).  It was a great comfort for Newman, who eventually received the fellowship, and he had a great fondness for the window and its message for the rest of his life.

Newman's favorite window in Oriel

On Wednesday, I was able to travel out to Burford, a small village in the Cotswalds about 40 minutes outside Oxford, to meet with Fr. Ian Ker.  Fr. Ker is widely regarded as the one of the main authority on all matters related to Newman.  He has published the definitive biography of Newman and produced critical editions of most of Newman's major works.  For such an accomplished and reputable scholar, he was a very down-to-earth priest, and we had a great conversation about my research.  He was able to point me to some sources that have been very helpful for my work, and he shared some of his own experiences in studying Newman over the years.  It was a fantastic opportunity, and I'm very grateful to have met him.

On Wednesday evening, the Anglican Ordinariate, which I've mentioned earlier, held its inaugual service of Solemn Evensong in the chapel at Blackfriars.  Because the Ordinariate was just established this year, they don't have a permanent church and they have been using the same liturgical rites as other Roman Catholics.  Evensong, which is a service of psalms, hymns, readings, and prayers from the English choral tradition, is a staple of the Anglican heritage, and it was very special for the Ordinariate to be able to celebrate this service as Catholics.  It was my first experience of Anglican-style Evensong, which was combined with the distinctly Catholic service of Benediction, and it was quite beautiful.  Afterwards, there was a reception at Blackfriars, and I was able to speak with some members of the Ordinariate to learn about their experiences of conversion from the Church of England to the Church of Rome.

Benediction following the Anglican
Ordinariate's Solemn Evensong at Blackfriars

Thursday and Friday were mostly library days since it was rather rainy in Oxford, but Saturday afforded some opportunities to explore.  Nathan and I spent some time browing through more of Oxford's many, many used and rare bookshops.  We also spent some time wandering through the Ashmolean Museum, which is Oxford's main art museum, featuring art from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome all the way through the Renaissance, and the contemporary period.  We spent most of our time looking through the medieval and Reinaissance art (the collection is far too vast to see it all in one visit).

The Ashmolean Museum

That afternoon, we went to visit Magdalen College, one of the largest and most famous colleges in Oxford, and was the college where C.S. Lewis was a tutor.  It has a number of gorgeous quadrangles and gardens, and some very beautiful architecture.  We also attended Evensong at the college chapel, which is often hailed as the best Evensong in all of Oxford, and we were not disappointed; their choir was fantastic!


One of the Magdalen College quads 



A view of Magdalen Tower

On Sunday, we spent a pleasant afternoon at Blackfriars for the annual JCR (junior common room - the student organization in the hall) photo.  After taking the photograph, we spent a while in the garden enjoying Pimm's and strawberries - traditional Oxford treats - as well as each other's company.  Blackfriars, because it is a "permanent private hall" rather than a college, has a very small student body - only about 40 studets in all, which makes for a unique community where students and friars all get to know each other quite well.  Having such a close community makes gatherings like Sunday's small garden party quite fun.

The 2010-2011 Blackfriars Hall Photo

Later in the afternoon, I had my first English punting experience!  A punt is a long, wooden boat, which is propelled down the Thames River by means of a long, metal pole, which is pushed against the bottom of the river - much like a gondola.  I was joined by Nathan, Emile, and Emile's friend Gregoire, who was visiting from Switzerland for the weekend.  We spent almost three hours on the river, which passes through the gardens of both Magdalen and Christ Church colleges, so it made for a beautiful ride.  Without a doubt, Emile was the best punter of the group, but I didn't fare too poorly for my first attempt!

A view of the river from our punt

 

Gregoire, Nathan, and Emile enjoying the afternoon

Me and Gregoire

The Trinity term at Oxford, which is the third and final term of the academic year, is starting to wind down, and yesterday, I attended the final lecture in the Mariology course that I've been auditing at Blackfriars.  The lecture series has been very interseting and has been taught by Fr. Aidan Nichols, O.P., who is a very highly regarded English theologian, so it's been great to learn from him!

Yesterday, I was able to complete what I have termed my "Newman pilgrimage" in Oxford in which I sought to visit all the places where Newman spent time during his days in Oxford.  My last trip was to Trinity College, where Newman spent his undergraduate years.  It has a beautiful campus with some impressive ivy-covered buildings and very spacious gardens, and there is even a bust of Newman tucked away in a corner of the college grounds.  I also joined Emile and Gregoire for a visit to New College (the location of a great deal of Harry Potter filming) for some exploration and Evensong.

With the bust of Bl. John Henry Newman at Trinity College

It's hard to believe that my fellowship is rapidly approaching its conclusion with only one week left!  Nevertheless, I still have a bit of exploring and work to do before heading home.  From Wednesday until Friday of this week, I'll be traveling to Birmingham, where Newman lived the second half of his life after converting to Catholicism and becoming an Oratorian priest.  I'll be visiting the Birmingham Oratory, which Newman founded, and meeting with my tutor for our final tutorial there.  When I return to Oxford on Friday, we will be celebrating the end of the term with the annual Blackfriars Ball, and Nathan and I will be joined by our friend Robert, who is spending the summer working in Rome, for a visit during our final weekend!