kids encyclopedia robot

Pusey House, Oxford facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Pusey House
St cross blackwell quad.jpg
Pusey Crest.png
University Oxford
Location St Giles', Oxford, OX1 3LZ
Coordinates 51°45′24″N 1°15′37″W / 51.7567°N 1.2604°W / 51.7567; -1.2604
Motto Deus Scientiarum Dominus
"The Lord is a God of Knowledge"
Founder Henry Parry Liddon
Established 1884
Named for Edward Bouverie Pusey
Architect Temple Moore
Principal The Rev'd Dr George Westhaver
Map
Pusey House, Oxford is located in Oxford city centre
Pusey House, Oxford
Location in Oxford city centre

Pusey House is an Anglican religious institution located on St Giles', Oxford, United Kingdom, immediately to the south of Pusey Street. It is firmly rooted in the Anglo-Catholic Prayer Book tradition of the Church of England, and was founded in 1884 in memory of Edward Bouverie Pusey, Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford University, and leader of the Oxford Movement.

The House was established as a 'House of Piety of Learning' with a Library and Chapel, both of which remain open and in use today. One of the original intentions of Pusey House was to house Dr Pusey's collection of books and, since its foundation, the House has come to possess many artefacts relating to Pusey and the Oxford Movement, with the House's Library and Archive holding one of the country's most significant collections of material pertaining to Anglo-Catholicism. The House holds daily services in its chapel, as well as regular lectures and events, and has been described as 'a centre of the Catholic life'.

Pusey House is closely associated with the University of Oxford, especially St Cross College which moved onto the Pusey House site in 1981, but is not itself a permanent private hall or constituent college.

History

Prostrating
The servers prostrate before the consecrated sacrament on Septuagesima Sunday 2016.

Pusey House was opened in 1884 in part as a memorial to Edward Bouverie Pusey, Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford University, a canon of Christ Church Cathedral and for 40 years, a leading figure in the Oxford Movement, a movement of the mid-19th century which sought to bring the Church of England to a deeper understanding of its witness as part of the universal (aka 'catholic') Church. It was also intended to continue the work of Pusey in "restoring the Church of England's Catholic life and witness". It was established with a fund of £50,000 to provide a building for Pusey's library, purchase it and create an endowment so that two or more clergy could take charge of it and promote religious life in the university. The first principal was Charles Gore; Vincent Stuckey Coles was principal from 1897 to 1909. The next principal was Darwell Stone. Pusey House celebrated its 125th anniversary of foundation on 31 October 2009, with a Solemn High Mass at which the preacher was Fr Robin Ward, Principal of St Stephen's House. Since 1981 a large part of the original Pusey House site has been occupied by St Cross College.

Pusey House is known not only for its liturgy with full solemn ceremonial, but also for its active social character, with a strong student community, both undergraduate and graduate, which complements the religious life of the house in typical Oxford fashion.

Buildings

The architect of the chapel was Temple Moore, with further additions inside, including a baldacchino, by Ninian Comper. Some of Comper's original vestments remain in use and others have been commissioned using his original designs. The chapel remains a place of worship where the offices are chanted and the Mass offered every day; either quietly in the stillness of an early weekday morning or with music and full ceremonial on Sundays.

Library

Pusey House Library
Upper Library, Pusey House

The Library is a theological and historical collection of 80,000 volumes which includes Pusey's library and a large collection of other theological and historical volumes. Pusey's own books, bought after his death, originally formed the heart of Pusey House Library. Since then, by gift and purchase, the library has grown into an important collection that has been recognised by The National Archives as a leading specialist library not only in Oxford but in the United Kingdom. In addition to its primary source material and books on the Anglo-Catholic Movement (Tractarian and Oxford Movements), the Library also has good collections of material for the study of Patristics, Church history, liturgy, doctrine, monasticism and Anglican Catholic organisations.

The Archive contains extensive material on the Tractarians and the Oxford Movement: the records of a number of Anglo-Catholic societies; communities of monks and nuns; letters and papers of notable Anglicans, as well as the archive of Dr. Pusey himself.

The manuscripts include papers of many important figures, organisations and societies connected with the Oxford Movement in the 19th and 20th centuries. The most significant holdings are those of E.B. Pusey, H.P. Liddon and S.L. Ollard, but there are also papers relating to such notable people as W.E. Gladstone, J.H. Newman, Canon ‘Freddie’ Hood, F.L. Cross, and John Keble.

Worship

Worship in the Chapel of the Resurrection is in accordance with the Anglo-Catholic tradition in the Church of England and is open to all, especially to members of the university. Alongside its reputation for dignified and traditional liturgy, Pusey House is also recognised for its musical tradition, most visible at the Solemn Mass on Sundays and solemnities. The choir's extensive repertoire ranges from the earliest church music and Gregorian chant, through the polyphony of Byrd and extending to 19th and 20th century composers such as Vierne and Stanford. Pusey House commissioned a new Mass-setting for its 125th anniversary celebrations from the composer Alexander Campkin. The current Master of the Music is Maks Adach; the Organist is Alex Goodwin.

Services and observances

  • Solemn High Mass every Sunday and on major festivals during full term with the Ordinary of the Mass sung by the choir
  • Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, daily during full term
  • Compline each Tuesday evening during full term
  • Low Mass daily during full term, with a BCP celebration on Saturdays
  • Traditional devotions including Stations of the Cross in Lent and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
  • Holy Week retreat at Ascot Priory in Berkshire.

Teaching and pastoral care

  • Counsel and instruction in the catholic faith
  • Preparation for the sacraments
  • Sacramental confession
  • Formation of vocations to the sacred priesthood
  • Visiting preachers and academics
  • Pilgrimage to the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
  • Residential reading week at the Abbey of Bec in Normandy
Laetare Sunday
The Gospel is chanted at the Solemn Mass on Laetare Sunday

Friends organisation

The Bishop and Pusey House
The Bishop of London blesses incense at 2016 Friends' Festival High Mass

The Friends of Pusey House organisation exists to provide additional support for its work and witness, both in England and abroad, by their prayers and by informing others about Pusey House.

Images for kids

kids search engine
Pusey House, Oxford Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.