Midland Catholic History Society

Programme:
10.30   Visit to Grace Dieu (former school and chapel) with Gerard Wilcox
12.15   Join the Mount St Bernard’s community for midday office
1.00     Lunch at the Abbey Grange Tearoom
2.15     Join the Mount St Bernard’s community for afternoon office
2.45     Visit to Abbey and talk by member of the community

Bookings with fee of £10.00 no later than 1 July 2026 (the payment does not include the cost of  lunch – payment to the tearoom on the day)
To: Vincent Burke
16 Brandhall Court, Wolverhampton Road , Oldbury, West Midlands,B68 8DE
(Tel. 0121 422 1573) (Email. vburke44@blueyonder.co.uk)

Our next visit will be to St Cassian’s church in Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire, to include a talk on Secret Hiding Places by Paul Hodgetts.

The outline programme is below.

11.00 Guided visit to St Cassian’s church
12.30 Buffet lunch at the ‘Swan’, Chaddesley Corbett
2.00 St Mary’s Harvington for illustrated talk on Secret Hiding
Places by Paul Hodgetts

Bookings with fee of £20.00 no later than 12 May 2026
(the payment includes the cost of buffet lunch)

To: Vincent Burke, 16 Brandhall Court, Wolverhampton Road , Oldbury, West Midlands, B68 8DETel. 0121 422 1573
vburke44@blueyonder.co.uk

Click here to download the Booking Form
Click here to read more about the visit

We hope you will be able to join us!

The Requiem Mass will be celebrated at the Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica of St Chad in Birmingham on Wednesday 6th May at 11.00am.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols will preside.
Following the burial at Oscott Cemetery, refreshments will be served in St Mary’s College, Oscott.
Concelebrating clergy are asked to bring purple chasuble and stole for the Requiem Mass.  

We share the sad news that Professor Judith Champ, Dame of the order of St Sylvester, former lecturer at Oscott College and renowned champion and academic of Catholic History, passed into the loving arms of Our Lord , on Easter Sunday morning. Judith was a friend, mentor and champion to many of the membership and her unwavering conviction in the value of preservation and research of Catholic archives and history saw her dedicate over 50 years to ensuring those stories were saved and shared. 

Further details of her funeral will be shared when they are available.

We are sad to report that Professor Jack Scarisbrick died on 28 February at the age of 97. He was a historian of great distinction and the founder of the ‘Life’ organisation. He was in addition a long standing supporter and contributor to the work of the Midland Catholic History Society. His funeral will take place on Friday 27 March at 12.00 noon at St Peter’s church Leamington Spa – further details are available on the ‘Life’ website.

Please find below details and booking form for the MCHS visit to Leominster on Monday 29 September.

Paperwork relating to the Annual General Meeting will be distributed on the day.

Arrangements for lunch have been made with the Grange in Leominster – the menu is attached. When you return your booking form please indicate your choice off the menu but do not send payment – that can be done on the day. You are free to make your own lunch arrangements but it is useful to keep everyone together when the programme timetable is fairly tight. Instructions on how to get to the Grange and to the Priory from St Ethelbert’s will be available on the day.

St Ethelbert’s does not have a car park but on street parking is possible in the near vicinity.

Visit to Leominster

St Ethelbert

Grange menu

Nomination Form