On Thursday 19 June, a special Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated at Northampton Cathedral to mark the 200th anniversary of the dedication of the original chapel on the site. The Mass, held at midday, was presided over by Bishop David Oakley, with Fr Simon Penhalagon, Dean of the Cathedral, concelebrating alongside clergy, religious, and parishioners from across the Diocese.
In his homily, Bishop David reflected on the faith and vision of Fr William Foley, who in 1825 built a small chapel dedicated to St Andrew on the grounds of the former St Andrew’s Priory. This chapel—now forming the sacristy of the current cathedral—was the first Catholic place of worship in Northampton since the Reformation. It was not only a house of prayer but also part of Fr Foley’s own home, which served as a school for boys discerning a vocation to the priesthood. Among them was Francis Amherst, who would later become the second Bishop of Northampton.
Bishop David highlighted the challenging context in which Fr Foley ministered, noting that the first Catholic Relief Act of 1778 still fell short of allowing true religious freedom. “Father Foley was a pioneering missioner,” he said. “He saw the need for priests if the Church was going to take hold and grow in this part of the Lord’s Vineyard.”
Drawing on the readings of the day, the bishop focused on the image of Christ as the cornerstone, urging the faithful to build their lives on the solid foundation of Jesus’ teaching. “Christians might act in the name of Jesus,” he said, “but if our lives are not built upon the rock of Jesus’ teaching, then the house of our faith will fall.”
Bishop David also addressed pressing ethical concerns in contemporary society, warning of “the winds and floods” that test the Church’s faith today. Referencing the parliamentary decision just the day before to permit abortion up to birth, he added: “Let us not be naive. This is not assisted dying—it is the start of legalized euthanasia. We truly are in an era of utilitarian ethics.”
As the Diocese begins the third century of Catholic witness on this site, the bishop called on all present to become “living stones” aligned with Christ the cornerstone. “We give thanks for the many ways in which clergy and parishioners have witnessed to the Gospel over the past 200 years,” he said. “And we earnestly pray that this witness will continue in the years to come.”
The celebration concluded with a strong sense of gratitude and renewed purpose, echoing the words of the psalmist proclaimed during the Mass:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds. I shall not die, I shall live and recount the deeds of the Lord.”
Listen to Bishop David’s homily here
