Pontifical Beda College

The first part of the Beda year concludes this evening with our traditional Advent Service. Over the next few days most students and staff leave for a well-earned break and only a few remain over the Christmas season. As the Rector says in his message on the Website, we take this opportunity to wish all our friends, families and benefactors a very peaceful and blessed Christmas. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!

At Mass yesterday evening, two students were admitted to Candidacy, a ceremony which traditionally at the Beda takes place six months before the Diaconate ordinations, Norman Allred from the Diocese of Meath and Adrian Lowe from the Diocese of Brentwood were supported by their Vocations Directors who came specially for the occasion, and by friends from the neighbourhood and other Roman colleges. Our prayers go with them at this important stage of their vocational journey. Ad Multos Annos!

At Evening Prayer on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, our wreath was blessed and the first candle was lit. In the Advent Recollection, Fr Tony Currer, a priest of Hexham and Newcastle Diocese who works at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Chistian Unity, spoke of the need to make space in the darkness for Christ to enter into our world and into our lives. As the Advent light increases week by week, we pray that this season will bring great blessings to all friends, benefactors and former students of the Beda. Maranatha - Come, Lord Jesus!

More than 2000 years of faithful priestly service was represented at lunch in the Beda today as 43 priests from England and Wales who have been ordained 40, 50 and 60 years visited us. The group are in Rome, staying at Pallazzola for the week to celebrate these milestones in their life as priests. As in previous years, the joy and fulfillment in their ministry shine out as a wonderful example to our present students of what is to come. Ad Multos Annos to them and to others whose witness and example are an inspiration to us all.