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2026 at Maryvale
2026 at Maryvale
From all of us at Maryvale HIRS, I would like to wish you a very happy and blessed 2026. We entrust ourselves to Our Lady and to the intercession of St John Henry Newman as we continue our pilgrimage of Faith.
From 1 January 2026, with the approval of Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham, I have been appointed by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris as the new Director for the Maryvale HIRS. I am very grateful for the trust placed in me by the Church and by my colleagues and am asking for your prayers as I take on this new responsibility.
I would also like to thank my predecessor, Dr Birute Briliute, for her service as the Maryvale Director. It was a real pleasure to work with Dr Briliute for so many years in a relationship that was characterized by deep friendship and respect. I will miss her calm presence and assured touch.
I have been working with and for Maryvale since 2008, in a variety of capacities. However, I am very grateful to be able to draw on the expertise of Fr Michael Cullinan, who will serve as the Deputy Director. I am also deeply reassured by the great team that we have built up in the past couple of months, most of whom will now begin their work in earnest. These include Dr Jack Bull to assist with the Bachelor of Divinity Programme, Fr Richard Aziati to be the new Programme Director for the Licence in Catechesis, Rosie Dooly, and our incomparable finance manager, Jackie Hall, who is also the Bursar at Oscott Seminary. We also welcome Dr Tamra Fromm and Dr Agata Mleczko as FE Programme Director and Coordinator respectively. Both are Maryvale graduates and bring a wealth of FE experience to the table.
For Maryvale, 2026 is a year full of exciting prospects. This month, we are launching our new certificate for mature altar servers, which we have developed and are delivering with the Guild of St Stephen. This marks a return for Maryvale to Further Education, a return to our origins. The revision of our FE Programmes is now well under way.
Among the programmes we will launch in the next academic year (2026-2027) are a Diploma in Marriage and Family, and extensive set of Certificates in Bible studies leading to a Diploma, and two new language courses: Latin and Greek for beginners. These, too, can lead to a Diploma. We are also aiming to relaunch our highly regarded Catholic Chaplaincy Diploma.
As we deepen our collaboration with Oscott Seminary, I am looking forward immensely to use=ing the fabulous facilities and the amazing library, and to praying in the chapel, which ranks amongst the finest sacred spaces in the country. We are planning to hold in-person residential events in another move to restore what was lost to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Please pray for the success of Maryvale HIRS, its staff and its students.
Dcn Dr Harry Schnitker
Maryvale HIRS Director