The Cardinal preached on the Memoria of St Blaise, Bishop and Martyr

We were delighted to welcome Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald to the College on Monday 3 February. He was created Cardinal by Pope Francis at a recent consistory, and took possession of his titular church, Santa Maria in Campitelli, last weekend. He told us that it was probably almost twenty years since his last visit to the College.

Our seminarians had been privileged to serve at the presa di possesso at the titular church last Saturday, and also at Mass celebrated there by the new Cardinal on Sunday.

Santa Maria in Campitelli holds a special significance for the English connection, since it was the titular church of both Henry Benedict Stuart, fourth Jacobite claimant to the English throne, and of Francis Gasquet, Downside monk and Vatican archivist who also wrote a history of the VEC. Scottish Cardinal Charles Erskine, whose portrait hangs in the salone, also took Santa Maria in Campitelli as his titular church. Prayers are still said there for the conversion of England.

On what was, providentially, his 59th anniversary of ordination, Cardinal Fitzgerald celebrated the evening Mass in the College church, at which Archbishops Gallagher and Roche of the Roman Curia were also present. Taking his lead from the readings and the example of the Armenian St Blaise, whose memorial we celebrated on that day, the new Cardinal preached on the importance of unity in the Church and of outreach to those who profess other faiths.

After drinks in the Garden Room, we had supper together, and toasted the new Cardinal with the ad multos annos. We look forward to welcoming him back when he is next in Rome.

Cardinal Fitzgerald shares a joke at dinner

Michael, Cardinal Fitzgerald visits the VEC