Chaplaincy

Every pupil attends one of the regular Chapel services held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings; there is also a Sunday Evening Chapel service for boarders once a half-term. These services follow a theme, which seeks to address issues of contemporary relevance. Each House takes it in turns to facilitate a Chapel service, providing opportunities to read, lead prayers and steward. The Lower School, Chamber and Chapel Choirs, together with our organist and Director of Music are instrumental in providing the vibrant spiritual atmosphere in which these services are conducted. Chapel also provides the setting for the weekly Congregational practice or ‘Congo’, as it is affectionately known. This hymn-singing practice is a great informal opportunity for pupils of all Houses to come together on a regular basis. A ten-minute Morning or Evening Prayer which has also been given an affectionate name of ‘Deliveroo Chapel’ takes place in Boarding Houses over the weekends. They are student led and end with a piece of pop music to aid reflection which has an all too tenuous link to the topic.

Explore is a voluntary Bible study group that meets each week to consider in greater depth the Christian faith. Each meeting involves a group discussion, focusing on a short passage from the Bible and how we could apply it to our own lives.

Through it, pupils are able to explore some of the big questions they have about, life, faith and Christianity, as well as enjoying games, fellowship, support, snacks and an opportunity to pray together. 

We are supported by staff from Lymington Rushmore Holidays, a schools-based charity in Oxford, who visit and lead the group most weeks in a youthful and engaging manner. Lymington Rushmore run holiday camps over the summer and revision camps for examination groups over Easter with subject specialists, which is very popular, and many current and Old Oakhamians have attended across the years and some have even gone on to be adult volunteers.

Oakham is a Christian foundation. It has a Chapel, a Chaplain and the worship is certainly Christian. There is, however, no intention to convert people to Christianity but rather support everyone in their faith journey. Be that for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, halal or kosha dietary requirements, providing meals during Ramadan, confession times before Easter, authorised time to attend festivals and celebrations such as Holi and being able to attend Mass on Sundays. All of the above are examples from recent years and should there be any specific faith requirements, opportunities or assistance, we will do our utmost to facilitate and support in any way that we are able. Not everyone would describe themselves as having a faith, but it is our hope that all students will feel at ease in Chapel and feel comfortable attending weddings and other celebrations that may happen in churches. To recognise the message of Christ’s Love and most importantly know when it is being misrepresented.

Built in 1924 as a memorial to the former staff and students who died in the First World War, the Chapel was designed by the architect G.E.S. Streatfeild. The concept of his creation was to combine simplicity with dignity, which is why there are no stained-glass windows within the Chapel. That said, those with a keen eye will notice the faintest shades of green and blue within the windowpanes, which subtly transform the sunlight as one enters the building.

The Chapel is light in colour, being built of Weldon stone and all the internal woodwork is English oak. One area of uncharacteristic intricate decoration is the thought-provoking sculptures above the outer doors of the Chapel which can easily go unnoticed if entering at speed. The sculpture encourages us all to ‘look up’. The piece represents the sacrifice of the nation during the First World War and was carved by former Headmaster Tom Sargant’s brother, F.W. Sargant.

The Foundation stone of the Chapel was laid on Speech Day 1924 by Dr Theodore Woods, Bishop of Winchester. Fifteen months later, Dr Cuthbert Bardsley, the Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated the Chapel. A cross, candlesticks, pattern and chalice were produced by Mr Paul Cooper, commissioned by the Headmaster and Mr F.H. Jerwood OO, to create these pieces out of silverware and jewels donated from the families of the fallen Old Oakhamians. In 1946 the names of the former staff and students who died in the Second World War were carved into the stone around the internal doors and was dedicated by the Bishop of Peterborough in July of that year.

The School Chapel is fortunate to have an excellent 3 manual tracker-action pipe organ, built by the acclaimed organ builder, Peter Collins, in his local workshop in Melton Mowbray in 1992. It was dedicated by the Right Reverend William Westwood on 27 June 1993. The organ has over 2,100 individual pipes as well as ornate carvings created especially for this instrument.

Thomas Merton or ‘Old Merty’ as he was known by school pals was a student from 1929 – 1932 being one of the first generations of students to use the Chapel. Rugby player, CCF Cadet, Editor of the Oakhamian Magazine amongst other things, Thomas Merton went on to become a world-renowned Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion.

Read more about Thomas Merton.

Vivian Redlich was a student at Oakham leaving in 1920, and he was ordained as a priest in 1932. In 1941 he volunteered for New Guinea and was appointed priest-in-charge of Sangara Mission. He refused to evacuate when enemy forces invaded and as a result was executed in August of 1942. His last letter is preserved in St Paul’s Cathedral, London. ‘If I don’t come out of it, just rest content that I have tried to do my job faithfully.’ Vivian is commemorated in the Martyrs’ Chapel in Canterbury Cathedral.  

Baptism: A number of students each year and, on occasion, staff as well as parents decide to make a commitment to follow Christ and are baptised in the Chapel after some time of preparation. Former students return to have their children baptised and siblings of current pupils are also regularly baptised in the School Chapel.

Confirmation: The Chaplain prepares pupils in Form 4 and above who wish to be confirmed, at weekly lunchtime drop-in classes and evening sessions in Houses. The confirmands are presented to the Bishop at a special service in the Chapel, where they renew their baptismal promises and receive the Holy Spirit to witness as an adult Christian. These services are extremely well supported by the confirmands’ friends, family, teachers and godparents. Catholic students are also able to be prepared by the School’s Catechist for baptism, first holy communion and confirmation with the services taking place in St Joseph’s Catholic Church which is immediately adjacent to the School. 

Weddings: We are fortunate that the Chapel is considered so fondly and often the spiritual home of former students, parents and staff and many return to be married or have a wedding blessing in the Chapel.