OXFORD, England — The Catholic chaplaincy of Oxford University enjoys a beautiful setting: the Old Palace in St. Aldate's.

Dating from the 14th century, the structure opens onto a bustling street in the heart of this world-famous university city. Inside there are crooked stairs, wood paneling and old portraits. A charming dining room sees convivial meals for guests under the gaze of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

Behind the Old Palace stands another vital part of the chaplaincy — a substantial and rather ugly modern building. This houses the large room used for Sunday Mass and a chapel, dedicated to St. Thomas More, where Mass is said daily and people are regularly to be found at prayer.

This mixture of old and new sums up the work of the chaplaincy, center of Catholic life for undergraduates at the various colleges that make up the university.

And if the message emerging from young Catholics at Oxford is anything to go by, there is hope for the Church in Britain.

“What young people want is real, authentic Catholicism,” says Father Jeremy Fairhead, the chaplaincy's enthusiastic and hardworking leader. “They aren't seeking something half-baked. By coming here, they are opting in to the Catholic faith. It's a choice they have made and they are seeking something alive and real.”

Approximately 400 attend Mass at the chaplaincy every weekend. The main Sunday Mass, always packed, is solemn, sung, incensed and assisted by a large group of altar severs.

“We did have a folk Mass but it wasn't popular,” Father Fairhead says. “I think the time for that is over. When we stopped the folk music, numbers attending that Mass went up.”

During the week, the chap-laincy hums with activity as various groups, including the Catholic Society (“CathSoc” to undergrads), gather to discuss theology, pray and study Scripture. A branch of the St. Vincent de Paul Society meets here, as do volunteer teams serving the local community and, of course, a vocations committee. There are pro-life activities aplenty and a bulletin board to keep everyone informed on topical issues that relate to Catholic living.

The Divine Office is said daily with good attendance. When you enter the St. Thomas More chapel, there is usually someone kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament. A statue of the “man for all seasons” keeps vigil nearby. A table has Catholic literature and a basket of white rosaries, free for the taking.

“There is a need for good preaching,“ Father Fairhead says. “We need to make Christ present; that is what a chaplaincy is for. It must be a place of stability. You know what you are getting when you come here.”

“We also emphasize the importance of study,” he adds. “After all, that is the vocation of people while they are at university. The idea is to place this in a Catholic context, to center it in the faith. Having daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is important and that is what gives this place life.”

Rays of Light

Father Fairhead's concern for the spiritual life of Britain's youth extends well beyond Oxford's halls. For example, he recently helped launch a new venture for young Catholics in Britain, The Catholic Student Handbook, published by Family Publications. Packed with information, advice and ideas for getting the best out of university life, it is backed up by a dynamic, frequently updated website.

Nor is Father Fairhead a lone beacon in otherwise dark surroundings.

In a setting far removed from Oxford, at the thoroughly modern campus of the University of Kent at Canterbury, Father Peter Geldard echoes many of his brother chaplain's thoughts on what a university chaplaincy should offer. It's all about consistency, orthodoxy and friendliness, he says.

“We have a good crowd here for Sunday Mass and afterward there is a potluck lunch,” Father Geldard explains. “There is also a full program of talks covering a wide range of Catholic topics. We've just had two baptisms and four people being received into full communion with the Church. I expect to get several of these every year.”

“The fact that we are on a campus and self-contained makes us different from Oxford or Cambridge or London,” he adds, “but the Catholic message is the same. One of the most important things is to have a place where they can meet and make friends and relax. We're very international, with students from all over the world. Often we'll have a Mass with hymns in French or Swahili or German or whatever, and then a meal with food from that country.”

Next stop: the heart of London, where the Newman House at London University shows another aspect of Catholic chaplaincy life.

This is a hall of residence, with more than 50 students who make it their home while studying at one of the many colleges that make up the London University system. It is also a center in which any Catholic student will be welcomed. The chapel is a simple but dignified place, where traditional-style pews have recently replaced plastic stacking chairs and where, when I arrived for a visit, a group of young people were praying.

I was recently a guest speaker at a CathSoc event and found a cheerful welcome from the chaplain, Father Peter Wilson, who, like Father Geldard, is a convert from the Anglican Church. (A number of Anglican ministers converted following the 1992 Church of England decision to ordain woman.)

A first-year student, Gregory Nash, had just taken over as CathSoc chairman for University College (part of London University) and was slightly nervous about this first meeting, for which posters had been widely distributed. He need not have worried, for attendance was good and there was a lively, cheerful atmosphere with plenty of questions and general talk afterward.

“London University is enormous,” Nash says. “It's often hard to find your niche in it and to find other people who are kindred spirits. But that's where I believe the strengths lie for a group like the CathSoc — uniting people in God.”

London University has hundreds of students from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe as well as all parts of Britain. A typical chaplaincy event will see people of many races and languages filling the room, the discussion benefiting from people's family experiences of the Catholic faith in truly diverse parts of the world.

The student union here was recently faced with an attempt to block any Christian group from affiliating on university property. Thankfully, this was soundly defeated at a well-attended meeting.

“This was quite a start to my time in charge of the CathSoc” Nash says.

And a perfect symbol of the exciting opportunities and daunting challenges that lie ahead for Catholic college students in the United Kingdom.

Joanna Bogle writes from London.