Students and staff start to move away from today to return home for holidays, time with families, and pastoral placements. Over the summer months there will be little news on the website but anyone wanting to know about the life of the college might want to visit the website pages. For example, the complete issues of the last four Beda Reviews are available on the Beda Life/ Beda Review page; there are over 2000 photos on our Flickr page (click the yellow circle with the two black dots on the top right of the Home page), and those wanting to know what is coming up might visit the Calendar which is current up to the beginning of 2018.

Twelve Beda students were ordained in St Paul's Basilica today by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, Seamus Cunningham. There are two students from each of the diooceses of Westminster, Liverpool and Melaka-Jahor, and one from Belgaum (India), Durban, Brisbane, Maitland-Newcastle, Melbourne and Nottingham. Congratulations to all. Ad Multos Annos.

As the exams finish today, the usual 'Leavers' Lunch' was celebrated to give thanks to those who are leaving the Beda community this summer. A special guest this year was Fr Jim Downey OSA who finishes as Scripture Professor this year. Jim first taught at the Beda in 1985. After five years he moved away from Rome and returned in 2003 since when he has taught continuously at the Beda. Students and staff joined in thanking him for his work here over so many years. Ad Multos Annos. A short biography and picture can be found on our Beda People page.

The Plenary Meeting of the Vatican's Congregation for Clergy took place for three days this week. Canon Philip and Father Peter were invited to particpate in this meeting which explored the new Ratio Fundamentalis document for seminaries. The meeting concluded on Thursday morning with an audience with Pope Francis, who spoke of the need for all seminarians to be in prayerful conformity to Christ, to be always open to the ongoing journey and to act from the heart.