Cambridge University Catholic Chaplaincy
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| Cambridge University Catholic Chaplaincy | |
|---|---|
| Fisher House | |
 Fisher House, the home of the Cambridge University Catholic Chaplaincy since 1924 | |
  Cambridge University Catholic Chaplaincy Location in Cambridge | |
| 52°12′17″N 0°07′12″E / 52.20459°N 0.11989°E | |
| Location | Guildhall Street, Cambridge, CB2 3NH |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | fisherhouse.org.uk |
| History | |
| Founded | 1895 |
| Founder(s) | Pope Leo XIII, Baron Anatole von Hugel, & the Bishops of England and Wales |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Overseen by the Oxford and Cambridge Catholic Education Board (OCCEB) on behalf of the BIshops of England and Wales |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Rt Revd Nicholas Hudson |
| Chaplain(s) | Fr Paul Keane, assisted by Fr Albert Robertson OP & Sr Dr Ann Swailes OP |
The Cambridge University Catholic Chaplaincy, known as Fisher House after its patron the
Operation
The Chaplaincy serves all the Catholic members of the University, from undergraduates to Fellows, and anyone else of the university who wishes to attend.
Mass is celebrated every day, and three times on Sundays (during term time): Sung Latin at 9.30 am, Sung English at 11 am, and at 5.30 pm. Weekly events in term time include Apologia on Tuesday nights (supper, guest speaker, Compline and the Bar) and the Black Swan Bar on Friday nights. Some of the significant annual events are the Fisher Mass on the first Bank Holiday in May (celebrated at
Fisher House is owned by the Cambridge University Catholic Association (CUCA), which is also responsible for the Chaplaincy's finances. The Chaplain is appointed by the Bishops of England and Wales in consultation with the Oxford and Cambridge Catholic Education Board (OCCEB). The day-to-day running of the Chaplaincy is the Chaplain's responsibility, in consultation with CUCA and the Bishops' representative, who is Rt Revd Nicholas Hudson, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster. The Chaplain is supported in his ministry by the Assistant Chaplains. The Catholic Society for students of the University, the Fisher Society, works closely with the Chaplains, and organises many events.
History
Foundation and early years (1871-1924)
Oxford and Cambridge universities opened their doors to Catholics in 1871 after the repeal of the
As a result of this, the Universities Catholic Education Board (later OCCEB) was founded and Fr Edmund Nolan was appointed Chaplain. At the same time, the Fisher Society was founded by Cambridge students as a literary and debating society.
In 1899, CUCA was founded in order to purchase rooms for the chaplaincy at 2 Green Street. From there, the chaplaincy, under
Fisher House (1924-present)
In 1924, a Grade II listed[6] pub called the Black Swan on Guildhall St was purchased by CUCA for £10,000. The Chaplaincy and the home of the Chaplain was established here, with the new name of Fisher House. The site consists of two houses of c.1600, joined at right angles to each other, which form the Chaplain's home. Within the Chaplain's home is the Great Chamber, which has been described as one of the most pleasant rooms in Cambridge.[3]
A nineteenth-century wing is for the sole use of members of the university and consists of common room, kitchen, popular library and roof terrace.
The surprisingly large Chapel was completed in 1976, and sympathetically improved in 2011 (the first donation for these works was given by Pope Benedict XVI, who had stayed at Fisher House when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to give a lecture in 1988).[7][8] A reconstruction of a c. 1280 Cimabue crucifix, was already in place since 2008, having been commissioned by the Chaplain, Fr Alban McCoy, from the Hamilton Kerr Institute. This 2m artwork was constructed according to contemporary medieval Italian methods, in particular those documented in Cennino Cennini’s c. 1400 work Libro dell’Arte.
Mgr
List of the Chaplains
- Fr Edmund Nolan (1896–05)
- Mgr Arthur Barnes (1905–16)
- Fr James Bernard Marshall (1918–22)
- Fr John Lopes (1922–28)
- Fr George MacGillivray (1928–32)
- Mgr Alfred Gilbey (1932–65)
- Fr Richard Incledon (1965–77)
- Fr Maurice Couve de Murville(1977–82)
- Dom Christopher Jenkins OSB (1982–88)
- Fr John Osman (1988–94)
- Fr Allan White OP (1994–2000)
- Fr Alban McCoy OFM Conv (2000–13)
- Mgr Mark Langham (2013–21)
- Dom Alban Hood OSB (2021–22)
- Fr Paul Keane (2022-)
See also
- Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy
- Oxford University Newman Society
- Oxford and Cambridge Catholic Education Board
References
- ^ Evenett, H.O. Catholics and the Universities, 1850–1950.
- ^ The Letters and Diaries of John Henry Newman. Vol. 23. Oxford University Press. 1973.
- ^ ISBN 0-85183-494-9.
- ^ Evenett, H.O. (1946), "The Cambridge Prelude to 1895", The Dublin Review (437)
- ^ Butler, E. Cuthbert (12 November 1896), Announcement of first Catholic lectures in Cambridge on 'Questions of the Day', Cambridge University Archives, SOC.IV.11
- ^ "Guildhall Street / Guildhall Place" (PDF). Cambridge City Council. June 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
- ^ Joan Lewis (30 January 2007). "Pope Benedict Donates £2,000 to Cambridge Catholic Chaplaincy". EWTN. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
- ^ "Pope contributes to priest appeal". BBC News. 28 January 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
- ^ Beard, Madeleine, The Legacy of Monsignor Alfred Gilbey, 1901-1998, archived from the original on 30 September 2005, retrieved 12 October 2009
Further reading
- Gregory-Jones, Peter (1986). A History of the Cambridge Catholic Chaplaincy 1895-1965. Societa' Poligrafica Sarda.
- Rogers, Nicholas (2003). Catholics in Cambridge. Gracewing Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85244-568-6.
- Papers of Baron Anatole von Hügel (1854-1928) and the Cambridge University Catholic Association, Cambridge University Archives, SOC.IV
