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Courses Events

Imagining Reality [study weekend]

Imagining Reality
[study weekend]

20 Sept @6pm - 22 Sept @4pm [2019]

A study weekend exploring the connection between reading, imagination, and character formation through the lens of English literature, with special reference to J.R.R. Tolkien.

Dr Victoria Seed and Revd Dr Michael Halsall will present four talks on two fundamental Christian themes: our vision for the created world and our vision for ourselves.

The weekend is a fantastic opportunity for teachers and students of literature and theology, as well as anyone involved in the formation of young people, to consider more profoundly the power of literature as a positive, educative tool.

The talks are as follows:

  • Why Reading is Good for You: Imagining Our Place in the World
  • Creation and Beauty in Tolkien’s Catholic Vision
  • Characters with Character: Imagining Ourselves
  • Don’t Panic! Courage and Virtue in Tolkien’s Secondary Characters

Each talk will be followed by a guided discussion session in small groups, for which some preparatory reading will be required.

The weekend will include opportunities for Communal prayer, Divine Office and Mass.

Costs:

Full board and single room:  £235

Full board and shared room: £195

Non-residential full board: £115

Please register below:

This event has closed.

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Clergy Events

Secundum Cor tuum [clergy retreat]

"Secundum Cor tuum"
[silent clergy retreat]

Monday 7 - Friday 11 October [2019]

A five-day, silent retreat for secular and religious clergy,
focussing on the configuration of the priestly heart after the Heart of Jesus.

The retreat will be preached by the Canons of the Institute of Christ, King and Sovereign Priest.

Secular and religious clergy, deacons and seminarians welcome!

The retreat will be preached, with opportunity for individual spiritual direction.

Clergy are welcome to celebrate Mass individually at their own time, in Theodore House Oratory or St Peter’s Church.

Daily Holy Hour and Latin Compline.

Guided tour of the Stonyhurst College Historic Libraries and Old Chapel Museum: see more about the College’s Collections here.

All accommodation is en-suite and full board is included.

Ideal surroundings for a retreat: peaceful and beautiful!

Arrivals for 2pm; departures from 2pm.

See more about Theodore House here.

See more about the ICKSP here.

Cost:

£320 (includes single, en-suite room and full board)

Please register below (deposit payment required):

This event has closed.

Venue:

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Events Talks

Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters [online evening talk] – #5 St Francis de Sales

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters 5 - St Francis de Sales
[online evening talk]

Thursday 5 November @7:30pm

Devotion is for Everyone:
The Working Spirituality of St Francis de Sales

Fifth of the online series: Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters

For the recording of this talk, please click here.

The fifth talk of Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters will explore the spirituality of a great Bishop and director of souls: St Francis de Sales. Known for his deep love of God and his determination to bring every person – be they lay or religious – to a real holiness of life, he paid special attention to lay people living working lives. Much of his writing was directed to showing such people how to grow in holiness through their day-to-day activity. His fame as a spiritual director brought him into demand from Popes, royalty and nobility. Despite this, he lived out the last word of advice he gave from his deathbed: “humility”.

About the speaker:

Canon Scott Tanner is a priest of the Institute of Christ the King, Soverign Priest. After studying Theology and Religious Studies at Nottingham University, he studied for the priest at St Philip Neri Seminary, near Florence, Italy. He was ordained in 2015 and worked in the Diocese of Shrewsbury before joining the parish of St Walburge’s in Preston, Lancashire.

Next in the series:

19th November – Sts Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross with Fr Matthew Blake, O.C.D.

3rd December – St Benedict of Norcia with Fr Cassian Folsom, O.S.B.

10th December – St Francis of Assisi with Fr Gabriel Kyte, C.F.R.

For the flier, please click here

 

***Admission is free. We kindly request a donation to support the costs of our activities.***
Please register below:

 
Categories
Courses Events

Ancient Byzantine Iconography Course [residential course]

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Ancient Byzantine Iconography Course
[residential course]

13th - 19th June 2023

Write an icon of the Mother of God of Tenderness
in the ancient Byzantine style

A 7-day icon-writing course led by Deacon Nikita Andrejev, of the Prosopon School of Iconology

CLICK FOR FLIER

Over the 7 days of this iconography course, students will develop the contemplative practice of icon writing using the ancient art of liquid egg tempera technique.

The teaching of the technical craft of icon writing will be accompanied by the study of the theological world view from which the practice emerged. The practical demonstrations and direction will therefore be framed by a discussion of the symbolic meaning of the iconic forms, of the materials and of the processes involved.

Surrounded by peace and beautiful scenery, this week-long immersion into an ancient form of prayer and the accompanying technique serves as an excellent opportunity to refresh and recreate your soul in prayer and a warm community environment.

“It is always a privilege and a humble experience to be part of an icon painting class; but it is particularly with this class that I learnt the most and had the most change in myself”

The icon currently planned for this course is that of Mary, Mother of God of Tenderness. The template for this icon will be based on the ancient archetype.

Although this icon is slightly more complex than that usually written by beginners, the class will also welcome and take into consideration complete beginners, whilst also offering some flexibility with the icon itself.

The class welcomes experienced icon writers regardless of whether they have painted in the Prosopon style before or not, providing an opportunity to learn or to develop the particular technique and approach of the Prosopon School.

For years Nikita Andreyev apprenticed to his father, Vladislav Andreyev, complimenting this experience with postgraduate theological studies in Paris and the United States.

As a member of the faculty team of the Prosopon School of Iconology, Nikita has contributed to the development of unique teaching methods. The resulting workshop experience enables participants to create and grow through their icon making, developing spiritually through each icon.

Since its founding in the 1980s, the School has rediscovered lost techniques of the ancient art of liquid egg tempera and has helped ignite a renewed interest in icons across the USA and the western world.

                                                  For more information about Deacon Nikita Andrejev, please click here.

Theodore House offers a wonderful venue for icon painting. With abundant natural light from the glass roof panels flooding the atrium, this is an inspiring venue for icon painting. The tranquil and beautiful surroundings of the Stonyhurst estate offer an ideally peaceful setting. The first floor gallery, which gives access to the comfortable, en-suite bedrooms, affords a birds-eye view of the workshop below. Guests will also enjoy the comfortable recreational spaces and a beautifully lanscaped garden.

For more information about Theodore House, please click here.

Classes start in the morning of Tuesday 13th June. Residential participants are welcome to arrive from 6pm on Monday 12th June, with dinner being included that evening.

Classes end in the afternoon of Monday 19th June, with departures from approx. 4pm.

Cost

Full board* & lodging, single room: £890 p.p.

Full board* & lodging, twin room: £790 p.p.

Non-residential, full board (lunch and dinner*): £640 p.p.

A non-refundable deposit of £250 will be required upon booking.

Balance of course fees will be due 1 month before the course, and may be spread over several instalments prior to this date.

*Please note: all meals on this course are fish or vegetarian, as is the custom in this work.

“The facilities here were absolutely wonderful. When I walked in I immediately felt blessed to have this space to work in”

“A very professional, spiritual and calm environment: perfect for icon painting”

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Please register below (deposit payment required):

 
Venue:

Categories
Clergy Events

Mary, Mother of Priests [clergy retreat]

Mary, Mother of Priests
[silent clergy retreat]

Monday 13th - Friday 17th September [2021]

A retreat for secular and religious clergy, on the role of Mary for the priest and on the fostering of a Marian devotion.

The retreat will be preached by the Canons of the Institute of Christ, King and Sovereign Priest.

Secular and religious clergy, deacons and seminarians welcome!

The retreat will be preached, with opportunity for individual spiritual direction and confessions.

Clergy are welcome to celebrate Mass individually at their own time, in Theodore House Oratory or St Peter’s Church.

Daily Holy Hour and Latin Compline.

Guided tour of the Stonyhurst College Historic Libraries and Old Chapel Museum: see more about the College’s Collections here [to be confirmed].

All accommodation is en-suite and full board is included.

Ideal surroundings for a retreat: peaceful and beautiful!

Arrivals for 2pm; departures from 2pm.

See more about Theodore House here.

See more about the ICKSP here.

Cost:

£320 (includes single, en-suite room and full board)

Precautions against Covid-19 are implemented at Theodore House as advised by the Government.

In case of cancellation or postponment resulting from Covid-19, deposits and payments will be refunded or carried over.

Please register below (deposit payment required):

 
Venue:

Categories
Media Video

St Thomas Aquinas

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters
#4 St Thomas Aquinas

***The talks are made available freely with the request for a donation to support our costs.***

Please donate here:


The fourth talk of Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters will explore the spirituality of one of the Church’s greatest theologians: Thomas Aquinas. Known for his unique and massive synthesis of Catholic theology, Aquinas earned the title of “The Angelic Doctor” not just for his great learning, but for the wisdom and light he brought to the Church’s thinking. In this talk, Fr Richard Conrad, O.P. will focus particularly on the themes of being, freedom and friendship. As the greatest of God’s gifts, they are fundamental to this great saint’s spirituality.

About the speaker:

Richard Conrad studied chemistry at Cambridge, and after his doctorate joined the Dominican Friars. He has served as Prior in Cambridge and Leicester, and for 8 years was Novice Master of the Province. He taught dogmatic theology at Maryvale Institute part-time from 1992 to 2016, and from 2007 has been resident at Blackfriars, Oxford, where he teaches dogmatic theology and the thought of Thomas Aquinas, and is currently Director of the Aquinas Institute.

For more information about Fr Conrad, please click here.

Other videos in the series:

St Ignatius of Loyola

#1 St Ignatius of Loyola

#2 St Therese of Lisieux

St John Henry Newman

#3 St John Henry Newman

#5 St Francis de Sales

#6 The Spanish Mystics

Categories
Media Video

St John Henry Newman

St John Henry Newman

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters
#3 St John Henry Newman

***The talks are made available freely with the request for a donation to support our costs.***

Please donate here:


The third talk of Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters explores the spirituality of the latest English person to be canonised: John Henry Newman. Known for his great intellect and his conversion from Protestantism to the Catholic Faith, Newman’s journey was powered by his grasping of the realism and certainty of God’s presence.  At the heart of this journey was his conscience, drawing him “out of the shadows into truth”. This talk will focus on Newman’s ‘realism’ and his conversions.

About the speaker:

Dr Giuseppe Pezzini

Tutorial Fellow in Latin Language and Literature at Corpus Christi College Oxford. He came to St Andrews in 2016 after research fellowships at Magdalen College, Oxford and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He worked as an assistant editor for the Oxford Dictionary of Medieval Latin, and has published especially on Latin language and literature, philosophy of language, and the theory of fiction, ancient and modern, including above all Tolkien’s views on the ‘mystery of literary creation’. He is an Associate of the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Art in St Andrews and the Tolkien Editor of the Journal of the Inklings Studies. He is a member of the RSE Young Academy Scotland, the Young Academy of Europe, and a collaborator of the Meeting of Rimini, for which he has curated exhibitions on John Henry Newman (2011, 2014), Oscar Wilde (2015) and JRR Tolkien (2021).

For more information about Dr Pezzini, please click here.

Other videos in the series:

St Ignatius of Loyola

#1 St Ignatius of Loyola

#2 St Therese of Lisieux

#4 St Thomas Aquinas

#5 St Francis de Sales

#6 The Spanish Mystics

Categories
Media Video

St Therese of Lisieux

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters
#2 St Therese of Lisieux

***The talks are made available freely with the request for a donation to support our costs.***

Please donate here:


The second talk in the series explores the life and spirituality of Therese of Lisieux. Perhaps one of the most beloved saints of Western Europe, Therese died at the age of only 24 after a long struggle with tuberculosis. She had spent 9 years as a Carmelite nun, fighting to be allowed to enter the convent at the age of 15. Her hidden and simple, yet whole-hearted life of prayer was repaid with a special grace of intimacy with God. Her vocation to love in her very ordinary struggles and simple life instantly made her an immensely popular and accessible saint. Canonised only 28 years after her death, her “Story of a Soul” has been read by and inspired countless people all over the world.

About the speaker:

Canon John Udris is Spiritual Director at St Mary’s College, Oscott, Birmingham.  He has a Licence in Spirituality from the Dominican University in Rome.  He is the author of two books on St Therese: ‘Holy Daring’ and ‘The Gift of St Therese of Lisieux.’

Other videos in the series:

St Ignatius of Loyola

#1 St Ignatius of Loyola

St John Henry Newman

#3 St John Henry Newman

#4 St Thomas Aquinas

#5 St Francis de Sales

#6 The Spanish Mystics

Categories
Media Video

St Ignatius of Loyola

St Ignatius of Loyola

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters
#1 St Ignatius of Loyola

***The talks are made available freely with the request for a donation to support our costs.***

Please donate here:


The first talk in our online series, Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters, explores the life and spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola. Founder of the Society of Jesus, St Ignatius is perhaps one of the most attractive and enigmatic of the Western Saints. A mercenary and a romantic, he was wounded in battle and spent time recuperating in hospital. He famously converted when forced to read the Gospels and the Lives of the Saints out of boredom. The ensuing time he spent in solitude, seeking the real meaning to his life, provided the basis for his Spiritual Exercises. These remain hugely relevant, immensely popular and religiously followed centuries later.

About the speaker:

Fr Dominic Robinson, SJ is currently Parish Priest of Farm Street in central London.  Farm Street Church, and the adjoining London Jesuit Centre, is a vibrant city centre ministry of the Jesuits, aiming to extend welcome and hospitality to many different groups.  Fr Dominic is also UK director of Landings, the programme for returning Catholics, teaches Theology at St Mary’s University, is Chair of Justice & Peace in the Diocese of Westminster and Ecclesiastical Assistant to the charity Aid to the Church in Need.

For more information about Fr Robinson, please click here.

 

Other videos in the series:

#2 St Therese of Lisieux

St John Henry Newman

#3 St John Henry Newman

#4 St Thomas Aquinas

#5 St Francis de Sales

#6 The Spanish Mystics

Categories
Articles Media

Dare we forget the call to sainthood?

Sunday 20th September 2020

The CHC @ The Catholic Universe

Dare we forget the call to the sainthood?

Stefan Kaminski

The lives of the saints have historically provided one of the great staples of the catechetical and spiritual life. 

Their biographies, in varying levels of literary and spiritual complexity, would be read by Christians of all ages. Children would be presented early on with these figures in story book form. As they grew, so also did they in knowledge of and friendship with the saints, through reading more complex or original texts as they were able to.

This has always been a self-evidently important element in the formation of a person’s faith, since the saints are guiding lights for the sincere Christian. They mark out a true and trodden path that navigates the difficulties and complexities of this life, while making a bee-line for Heaven. The saints are those who have ‘fought the good fight… finished the race… kept the faith’ (2 Timothy 4:7). 

They have faced the world, they have discerned what is right and what is wrong, and they have relentlessly pursued the former. Do we not still need them today? 

It does not seem unreasonable to suggest that our celebrity culture has, to a large extent, either pushed the saints off our radar or filled in the previously-vacated space that the saints used to inhabit. The saints were at once role models and witnesses to the reality of our faith. Celebrities also serve as role models, and most often as witness to the realities of this world. The saints are clearly a less attractive role model to someone who does not understand the primacy of Heaven over earth, or the spiritual over the physical.

And equally, someone whose primary aim is to make the most out of this world, rather than to strive for Heaven, will not see their relevance.

Perhaps it is precisely the apparent unpopularity or unattractiveness of the saints that serves as a warning of our need for them more than ever. 

It continues to be in the relational nature of humans to look for role models, to aspire after others and to imitate that which we see as appealing in them. This is especially true throughout childhood, in the most formative years of our character. So it is precisely then that we let children down most of all if we fail to present them with these great, Christian role models.

If we take seriously the words of Pope Francis, “To be saints is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone” – in other words, if we take seriously the fundamental Christian precept that we are all called to holiness – we cannot discard what the saints have to offer us. Pope Benedict XVI once said that for him, “Art and the saints are the greatest apologetics for our faith”. A vivid and real knowledge of the lives of the saints is itself a powerful testimony to the reality of God and the possibility of a relationship with Him. Every young boy who sees the attraction of combat and soldiering can draw great inspiration from St Ignatius of Loyola’s mercenary adventures and his discovery of the one cause worth fighting for. Every young girl who wants to find the means to security and success can look to the commanding and uncompromising presence of St Teresa of Avila.

Moreover, knowing the saints well teaches us that their lives are not somehow simply summarised in a single, beautiful stained-glass window. Seeing the saints means seeing how to struggle to find what is good, how to fight to choose that good for ourselves, and how to persevere in that choice of the good. Knowing the saints is empowering. It teaches us that, as Pope St John Paul II said,

“We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures: we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son”. 

It is tremendously liberating to truly know and live this, because it gives us both the courage to identify and name our sins, as well as to fight them. 

If, on the one hand, St Ignatius warns us that “It is preferable for us to avoid sin than to be lords over the whole world”, on the other, Padre Pio encourages us with the reminder that “Jesus is never so close to you as he is during your spiritual battles”.

The lives of the saints and the fruits of their spiritual wisdom are treasures that we should not be willing to discard or to fail to hand on. They are part of that great spiritual heritage of Catholic Christianity, which constitutes a sure foundation for navigating this earthly pilgrimage. 

With the upcoming 50th anniversary of the canonisation of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales, and the first anniversary of John Henry Newman’s canonisation, it is an opportune time to revisit our spiritual patrons and friends in Heaven. At Stonyhurst we have therefore brought together a number of highly respected and well-known speakers, to offer insights into the lives and spirituality of some of the great spiritual masters of the Western Church. The series of talks that they will present will be offered online for free (they will also be accessible afterwards on our website).

Stefan Kaminski is the Director of the Christian Heritage Centre, Stonyhurst.