York Oratory

York Oratory
Oratory Church of Saint Wilfrid, York
The building in 2011
York Oratory
53°57′41.4″N1°5′7.75″W / 53.961500°N 1.0854861°W / 53.961500; -1.0854861
OS grid reference	SE 60151 52127
Location	York
Country	England
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Tradition	Oratory of Saint Philip Neri
Website	https://www.yorkoratory.com/
History
Dedication	Saint Wilfrid
Consecrated	14 July 1945
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade II listed [1]
Architect	George Goldie
Completed	1864
Construction cost	£10,000
Specifications
Length	96 feet (29 m)
Width	51 feet (16 m)
Nave width	27 feet (8.2 m)
Height	147 feet (45 m)
Bells	11 (1995/96 & 2019)
Administration
Province	Archdiocese of Liverpool
Diocese	Diocese of Middlesbrough
Parish	Saint Wilfrid, York
Clergy
Provost	V. Rev. Fr. Richard Duffield, Cong. Orat.
Vice-provost	Rev. Fr. Daniel Seward, Cong. Orat.
Priest(s)	Rev. Fr. Stephen Brown, Cong. Orat. Rev. Fr. David Chadwick, Cong. Orat.

The Oratory Church of Saint Wilfrid, York (or York Oratory for short) is a Catholic church in York, England.

A church dedicated to Saint Wilfrid has stood in York since medieval times.

It is within the Diocese of Middlesbrough and was the second pro-Cathedral of the Diocese of Beverley until its dissolution in 1878.

History

In the early 1500s, Saint Wilfrid's was an advowson of the Benedictine Saint Mary's Abbey, York. ^[2]

Present church

The Church of St Wilfrid is often known by Catholics as the "Mother Church of the City of York", since its history connects it to the first, hidden revival of the Catholic faith in this city. ^[3]

Architecture

Part of the porch way, believed to belong to the original Saint Wilfrid's Church, was found under the floor of the Assembly Rooms during the 19th century renovations.

The church became a grade II listed building in 1968.

Tower

The tower is some 147 ft high and is visible around much of York. The design of the tower makes it appear as though the Oratory is taller than the Minster in the background; it is only when a person has passed the Oratory Church that they can see the Minster is taller.

The tower holds a fine peal of ten bells, in addition to an Angelus bell (added in 2019 and named "John Henry") with the heaviest eight bells dating from 1938. The chime was cast at the foundry of Gillett & Johnston in Croydon, and installed at Saint John's Church in Thornham. The bells became available in 1993, and relocated to Saint Wilfrid's. ^[4] Two lighter bells were added in 1995 to create a peal of ten. ^[5] They were cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. One is inscribed "Saint Wilfrid"; the other bears the inscription "Ringers ring with one accord. Make beautiful music to praise the Lord". ^[6]

Furnishings

Interior of the Oratory Church of Saint Wilfrid

The altar rails at the Oratory are very fine and of particular note. They were made in 1948 by Wilfrid Dowson, from Kirkbymoorside, who was responsible for some work at York Minster, as well as the Queen's Gates at Saint George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. ^[7] The rails were altered and temporarily removed in February 2007. The organ is an 1867 Forster and Andrews, restored in 1998 by Harrison & Harrison. ^[8]

Parish

Rear of the church, seen from the garden

The church has daily Mass. The Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated at 8:15 am from Monday till Friday, 9:15 am on Saturday (Low Mass) and on Sunday at 12:00 pm (Sung Mass). The Novus Ordo Mass is celebrated in English at 12:10 pm daily, 5:00 pm on Saturday (Vigil Mass) and on Sunday at 8:30 am (Low) and 10:30 am (Sung). ^[9]

The church has sung Vespers at 4:00 pm and (immediately following) Benediction at 4:30 pm every Sunday. ^{[10] [11]}

The Oratory is known for its high standard of music. A voluntary choir sings at the 10.30 am English Mass, and professional singers at the 12 noon Latin Mass, performing chant, polyphony and other works from the Catholic choral tradition.

The Oratory offers four choral scholarships through the University of York to both undergraduate and postgraduate female and male students: sopranos, altos, tenors and basses to form a quartet. ^{[12] [13]}

The church's rectory is in Petergate House. ^[14]

See also

• Petergate House
• More House

References

^{[15] [16] [17]}

1. Historic England. "Church of St Wilfrid (Grade II) (1257869)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 6 May 2015.
2. Palliser, David Michael (28 September 1971). The Reformation in York, 1534–1553. Borthwick Publications. ISBN   9780900701085 – via Google Books.
3. "Oratory Church | York Oratory". www.yorkoratory.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
4. ""History", St. Wilfrid's York Bellringers".
5. "Dove Details". dove.cccbr.org.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
6. "Wilfrid's, BBC Radio 4 "Bells on Sunday", 28 November 2016".^{[ dead link ]}
7. "Church row over altar rail". The Press. 11 January 2001. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
8. ""St Wilfrid's, R.C. Church, York", Harrison & Harrison" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
9. "Mass Times | Catholic York". www.yorkoratory.com. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
10. "St. Wilfrid's, York Oratory (Roman Catholic) | Choral Evensong". www.choralevensong.org.
11. "Mass Times | Catholic York". www.yorkoratory.com. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
12. "Undergraduate funding". University of York. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
13. "Postgraduate research funding". University of York. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
14. "Survey on the Rectory Roof". St Wilfrid's. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
15. "York Oratory", National Churches Trust
16. "Church of St Wilfrid: History of York". www.historyofyork.org.uk.
17. "St Wilfrid's, York", The Oxford Oratory, 20 July 2013

External links

• Official website – York Oratory
• St Wilfrid's RC School, York
• Oratory of Saint Philip Neri – Procurator General (Rome)
• St. Wilfrid's, BBC Radio 4 "Bells on Sunday", September 2019