Congregation of the Oratory

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | 700+ words | Copyright

Congregation of the Oratory [Lat. abbr., Cong. Orat. ], in the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1575, an association of secular priests organized into independent communities according to the rule written by St. Philip Neri . The purpose of the oratory is to raise local religious standards. To do this they employ three means—prayer, especially the solemn performance of the liturgy; the sacraments, especially the confessional; and preaching, every oratory having daily sermons. Confessions are heard at all times. The best-known oratory of the English-speaking world is probably that of John Henry Newman, who introduced it to England as a means of extending the church there. There are Congregations of the Oratory in the United States at Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Yarnell, Arizona.

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