Visit Newman’s Oratories of St. Philip Neri
Celebrate Mass at the Oratories in London, Oxford, and Birmingham. Visit Newman’s relics, personal room, library, and museum.
Explore Newman’s idea of education
At Oxford, home of Tolkien and Lewis, delve into the history of Catholic education, Newman’s formation at Trinity and Oriel, and his Oratory School.
Enter Into Newman’s conversion
Follow the Saint’s spiritual journey and draw inspiration from a half-day retreat at Littlemore, where Newman entered into the Church.
Pray for Newman’s ‘Second Spring’
Visit relics of the English martyrs and a medieval church. Join receptions and lectures featuring British experts on Newman and the Catholic renewal.
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Itinerary
(subject to change)
Day 1 – Sunday, September 6
Depart USA
Depart the USA on overnight flights to London, UK.
Day 2 – Monday, September 7
London
Arrive in London where you will be greeted by your local tour manager. Celebrate Mass at St. Etheldreda’s Church, the second oldest Catholic church in England. Visit Tyburn Square and the Shrine of the Martyrs. Have an afternoon at leisure. Enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel and overnight in London.
Day 3 – Tuesday, September 8
London | Oxford
Begin the day with a visit to Brompton Oratory to attend Latin Mass and venerate the relics of St. Philip Neri. Transfer to Oxford and along the way, stop to visit the Oxford Oratory School. Enjoy dinner and overnight in Oxford.
Day 4 – Wednesday, September 9
Oxford
Visit Trinity College, where Newman studied, followed by a talk from a Catholic academic about the rise and fall of Catholic universities. Tour Oriel College, home of the Oxford Movement, and take time for prayerful reflection. After lunch on your own, visit Littlemore College, including a memorial dedicated to Bl. Dominic Barberi, who received Newman into the Church. Participate in an afternoon retreat on Newman’s spirituality led by Oratory Father Richard Duffield, Actor for the Cause of Newman’s Canonization. Enjoy an evening at leisure and overnight in Oxford.
Day 5 – Thursday, September 10
Birmingham Day Trip
Journey to Birmingham and explore Newman’s Birmingham Oratory including the museum and Newman’s room as well as time to venerate Newman’s relics. Later, spend time at the Oratory retreat cemetery, where Newman is buried. Return to Oxford for overnight.
Day 6 – Friday, September 11
Oxford
Visit the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin and the Oxford Oratory, where J.R.R. Tolkien attended daily mass. Spend time for reflection and an evening at leisure. Enjoy a special farewell dinner and overnight in Oxford.
Day 7 – Saturday, September 12
Return to USA
Transfer to Heathrow Airport for your return flights to the USA.
Spiritual Director
Msgr. James Shea
University of Mary
Monsignor James Shea has been president of the University of Mary (Bismarck, N.D.), a Newman Guide Recommended college, since 2009. He is in high demand as an inspirational speaker at Catholic events including the FOCUS SEEK conference and the National Eucharistic Congress. He has served on the boards of the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities, Saint John Vianney Seminary in Denver, Relevant Radio, and FOCUS, as well as the National Advisory Council to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Retreat Leader
Father Richard Duffield, C.O.
York Oratory
Father Richard Duffield, C.O., served as Actor for the Cause of Canonization for St. John Henry Newman and is a former priest of the Birmingham Oratory, established by Newman following his conversion. He was Provost of the Birmingham Oratory from 2009 to 2011, where he welcomed Pope Benedict XVI for Newman’s beatification. As an Oratory priest, he helped establish the Oxford Oratory in 1991 and the York Oratory in 2013, where he now resides and serves as Catholic chaplain to the University of York.
Pilgrimage Leader
Patrick Reilly
The Cardinal Newman Society
Patrick Reilly is president of The Cardinal Newman Society, which he founded in 1993 under the inspiration of St. John Henry Newman and his vision of faithful Catholic education. He also teaches rhetoric at Holy Apostles College and Seminary (Cromwell, Conn.) and logic, rhetoric, and philosophy at Aquinas Learning (Manassas, Va.), a classical Catholic hybrid program founded and led by his wife, Rosario. All of their five children have attended Newman Guide colleges.