The Oxford Oratory will rebuild the high altar of its Church of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, dismantled in the 1960s, in a six-month restoration costing £3.3 million, according to The Catholic Herald. The project, which began in September, aims to restore the sanctuary to its original design, repair the building’s deterioration, and rebuild the sacristy.
The Oratory community itself explained in a statement published on its website that it is raising those £3.3 million for three actions: the repair of the apse, the high altar, and the restoration of the sacristy. According to the text, the fundraising campaign had at that point reached 37% of its target. Work on the sanctuary began the week of 21 September and will continue for six months.
A “dismantled and moved forward” altar in 1966
The Oratory recalls that the original high altar was “dismantled and moved forward” in 1966, and that it now proposes returning it to its original position. Since the stone preserved from the current one is insufficient for reuse, the community will build a new one. “Generations before us built this church, enriched it, and passed it on to us,” the Oratory writes in its statement.
In its work plan, the community maintains that the removal of the original altar in the 1960s made it difficult to celebrate the liturgy with dignity. The first phase, already completed, uncovered and restored the Gabriel Pippet murals depicting the life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga; the second covers the layout of the sanctuary and the new high altar. The church marked its 150th anniversary in 2025.
Apse, sacristy, and worship during the works
According to the Oratory, repair of the apse has already begun, with scaffolding visible from outside, but “the most spectacular works are about to take place” inside. The sacristy, for its part, has structural problems and a flat roof in poor condition; the new plans would double its surface area and storage space. The architect’s plans have planning permission.
To keep the church open during the works, the community has installed a temporary sanctuary in front of a screen placed beside the altar rail. Since 21 September, the 10:00 a.m. Mass from Monday to Friday, confessions during those hours, and the rosary have been suspended for the time being; the Oratory hopes to resume them as soon as possible, especially on major feast days. Weekend Masses and the 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. weekday Masses continue.
The Catholic Herald also reports the Oratory’s conviction that it is “time to do something” to “restore what has been lost,” since the church “is not as it should be.” Those wishing to contribute can do so through the Oratory’s campaign page.