Over recent years, the Beda has been active in encouraging older men to put themselves forward for priesthood. Often an idea about priesthood has been at the back of someone's mind and they simply haven't done anything about it. We have run two successful discernment weekends at St Beuno's Retreat Centre in north Wales and a further one is planned for the end of August this year. There are still places available on this and anyone interested can find details and a link to a booking form on the Beda Website, (Beda Life/ Vocations Promotion/ Discernment weekend).

On Saturday, 23rd March, some First and Second Year students visited the ancient site of Ostia Antica. Their guide was Fr Alberto de Mingo, a Redemptorist priest who teaches New Testament at the Beda. Ostia Antica is the well preserved archeological site of the ancient port of Ostia. It was a fascinating and enjoyable visit for all who took part. Very many thanks to Fr Alberto for his guidance and knowledge.

A weekly film in the student common room on Sunday evenings has been a feature of Beda life for some time. A new innovation this year is that in addition to Sunday's film, on Friday evenings throughout Lent a film with a religious theme will be shown for those who wish. Last week, the film was 'Mary Magdalene', this Friday it is, 'Of Gods and Men', and that will be followed in subsequent weeks by four installments of the Zeffirelli epic 'Jesus of Nazareth'.

The Beda was privileged to have as guests for lunch today the General Council of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross who are meeting in Rome this week. One of their Order, Brother Thomas Varavunkal, has been a student with us for nearly four years and in September will be ordained priest in Kerala. The Council wanted to thank the Beda for the formation Thomas has received and for the links of friendship which have been made between the Order and the Beda. We ask their prayers for our work, and promise our prayerful support for their continuing ministry.

Our season of Lent began today with Morning Prayer of Ash Wednesday, fasting at lunch and supper, and an evening Mass with the blessing and distribution of ashes. Earlier in the day, at the crack of dawn, some students had gone to the first Lenten Station Mass at Santa Sabina. During Lent, the traditional Beda practice of those students who wish being able to visit the 7.00am Station Mass at one of the Roman Churches will continue.

The second semester at the Beda began three weeks ago and we have basked in warm sunshine for most of the time so far. An excellent in-house retreat for the 1st and 2nd year groups was given by the Bishop of Aberdeen, Hugh Gilbert, while 3rd and 4th Years held their pre-ordination retreats in Nemi. Since the retreats, lectures have resumed and 2nd and 3rd years have had a study weekend in Nemi. With Spring and Lent round the corner, we ask the continued prayers of all our supporters and benefactors.

The weekly summary of the Beda Facebook page showed an increase in Post Reaches of 4900%, in Post Engagements of 316% and in Page Likes of 516%. How did this come about? Because the Beda post on 25th January about the 60th Anniversary of the Announcement of the Vatican Council was shared by the Vatican News Facebook page and 20,880 people have viewed our page in the past week! It does mean that next week's statistics will be in the red by similar percentages. Unless, of course, someone shares this news...

Most ordinations take place in the summer months but a few are at other times of the year. Today Paul Smith is ordained in St Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham. This is the first ordination this year and we send our congratulations and best wishes to Paul. Next week, on 2nd February, Ignatius Tully o.s.b. will be ordained in the New Camaldoli Monastery, Big Sur, California, and on 19th February, John Lovell will be ordained for Maitland and Newcastle Diocese in Australia. Congratulations, best wishes and prayers for all these past students. Ad Multos Annos.

Sixty years ago today, an event took place a few yards away from the Beda College which changed the Church for ever. Across the road, in the Abbot's Parlour at the Basilica of San Paolo, Pope John XXIII made the announcement that he was calling an Ecumenical Council of the Church - what was to become the Second Vatican Council. As we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul today, we remember this historic event which took place geographically so close to us 60 years ago.

Beda staff and students started the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity last night by attending Papal Vespers at St Paul's Basilica. Pope Francis presided at the prayer, accompanied by leaders from many other Christian denominations. This evening we have our own Unity Service in the college chapel where the preacher will be Fr John O'Toole, National Ecumenical Officer for England and Wales. A good attendance by members of other Christian denominations living in Rome is expected and the Service will be followed by a celebration meal. For the text of Fr O'Toole's Homily click the title above.

Past students and friends of the College will know the wonderful work that Larry and Edna Tongco have done in the service of the College for many years. Today we celebrated Larry's 60th birthday. His family and friends gathered with staff, students and the whole Beda family to thank him and to celebrate his work and his presence with us. About 80 people sat down for a lovely meal prepared by Edna and the family. Ad Multos Annos!

As 2019 begins, a flier has been sent to Bishops and Vocations' Directors to keep the name of the Beda in their thoughts when prospective students apply in the coming months. The countries covered so far are Australia, Canada, India and the Nordic States. A copy of the flier can be seen on the Vocation Promotion section on the Beda Life page of this website.

The Feast of the Epiphany is an appropriate time for people to gather from the far corners of the world, as staff and students are doing today at the end of the Christmas break. Bearing stories of Christmases with familiy and, friends and varied experiences from different Continents, we return today ready for lectures to begin tomorrow. The Rector's new year website message highlights the Holy Father's call for peace to be at the heart of all we do. A happy and peaceful 2019 to everyone.

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.

At our community Mass this evening, we will read out the names of the 14 Beda Association members and the names of relatives of present staff and students who have died during the past year. On 11th November we held the Remembrance Day Mass at San Silvestro with the English and Scots communities in Rome. Today is also the anniversary of the founding of the Collegio Ecclesiastico, our forerunner, in 1852. In November both sorrow and joy mark our remembering.

In a dusty corner of the Beda attic, some old black and white photos from March 1959 were found recently during a clear-out. They show the early stages of the construction work on the present Beda building. The five photos can be viewed on the History tab of this website. They are dated on the back as March 1959 but the identity of the prelate signing a document in one photo is unknown. Any information would be gratefully received.

At the annual Academic Mass today, Vice Chancellor of St Mary's University, Francis Campbell, praised the acheivements of Beda students in the past year and personally congratulated each successul graduate. He also spoke of the valued links between St Mary's and the Beda and thanked the college for the contribution it makes to the life of the University. Congratulations to the Fourth year students who recieved a Batchelor of Theology degree, and to last year's Fourth Year who achieved their Graduate Diploma.