Category: Courses

Divine, Human & Artificial Intelligence [residential course]

Post author By Joey Belleza
Post date October 3, 2023

Short summer courses

'What is Knowing?'
Divine, Human and
Artificial Intelligence

23rd - 26th August 2024

“Until maybe a couple of years ago had I been asked what is the most pressing and important conversation we should be having about our future, I might have said climate change or one of the other big challenges facing humanity, such as terrorism, antimicrobial resistance, the threat of pandemics or world poverty. But today I am convinced the most important conversation we should be having is about the future of AI. It will dominate what happens with all of these other issues for better or for worse.”

Prof. Jim Al-Khalili, Head of the British Science Association, 2018

In partnership with

'What is Knowing?' Divine, Human and Aritificial Intelligence

CEPHAS 2024 will be an opportunity to engage in ‘the most important conversation we should be having’ about ‘the future of AI’.

The course will reflect in a profound way on the nature of knowing, and the implications of Artificial Intelligence for the present and the future.

To provide context to the particularity of artificial intelligence, the course will first explore Aquinas’s account of divine, angelic, and human knowing, as well as the nature and uses (both actual and potential) of different forms of artificial knowing and intelligence.

Is this course for me?

The course requires no prior qualification or knowledge, but is intended to serve as an introduction or primer to Catholic, Thomistic philosophy and theology.

The course is offered to anyone wishing to engage in this area. It may be of special interest to future, current or former students of philosophy and theology, and secondary-level teachers of the same.

For queries about the course content or requirements, please contact Dr George Corbett at gc63@st-andrews.ac.uk

Course structure

CEPHAS courses are built around a combination of philosophical and theological lectures and workshops, with plenty of discussion.

A guest talk, accompanied by good wine, is offered on one of the evenings.

The course is framed by opportunities for Mass during the day and communal prayer in the morning and evening.

Meet the tutors

Fr Jean Gové’s research—in philosophy of mind and language—focuses on the relationship between thought, reference, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence.

A diocesan priest from the Archdiocese of Malta, he is currently completing his PhD in philosophy at the University of St Andrews, where he also studied for his masters (MLitt in Philosophy). He received his Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the University of Malta, and he has also studied, as a visiting researcher, at the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome) and at the Institut Jean Nicod (ENS, Paris).

He lectures at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, and he has also regularly guest-lectured at the Department of AI, University of Malta.

Prof. George Corbett (Director of CEPHAS) is Professor of Theology at the School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. Previously, he held positions as Junior Research Fellow in Philosophy, Trinity College, and affiliated lecturer, University of Cambridge. He received his BA (double first), MPhil (distinction), and PhD (AHRC-funded) from the University of Cambridge. He has also studied in Pisa (as an Erasmus-Socrates exchange scholar at La Scuola Normale Superiore), Rome (Institutum Pontificium Alterioris Latinitatis), and Montella (Vivarium Novum).

He teaches and researches in historical and systematic theology (with specialisms in medieval theology, Aquinas’s theology and its influence, and Catholic theology) and theology and the arts (with specialisms in Dante studies, sacred music, and theological aesthetics).

Prof. Corbett is the author of Dante’s Christian Ethics: Purgatory and Its Moral Contexts (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020) and Dante and Epicurus: A Dualistic Vision of Secular and Spiritual Fulfilment (Oxford: Legenda, 2013), and is co-editor of Vertical Readings in Dante’s Comedy, 3 vols (Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 2015-17), an international collaboration by thirty-four scholars on a reappraisal of the whole poem. He has also published on Aquinas, sacred music, medieval theology, and the arts.

Sr Valery Walker, O.P. is a Dominican Sister of the Stone Congregation. In the early 1970s, she was introduced by Fr Romuald Horn O.P. to a particular method of studying the Summa Theologica of St Thomas Aquinas. Since then, she has run numerous S Thomas study days and weekends.

Sr. Magdalene Eitenmiller, O.P. is a Dominican sister of the Stone Congregation.

She received a Master’s degree in Theology (Ave Maria University, Florida), and the Licentiate in Sacred Theology in Thomistic Studies (Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D.C.), and she is currently pursuing doctoral studies with the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome. She is the author of “On the Separated Soul according to St. Thomas Aquinas,” Nova et Vetera 17.1 (2019):57-91 and “Grace as Participation according to St. Thomas Aquinas” New Blackfriars (2017): 689-708, among other publications

Sr. Magdalene teaches courses on the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas online, and has developed a website called Thomisticstudies.org, as well as a Youtube channel, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

She believes that theological studies can help one develop a deeper union with God and strengthen one’s faith, especially when learning from the teachings of Aquinas, one of the greatest theologians of all time.

About the venue

Theodore House offers a wonderful venue for any residential course. The tranquil and beautiful surroundings of the Stonyhurst estate offer a peaceful setting with endless opportunities for walks. Guests will enjoy the comfortable recreational spaces and a beautifully lanscaped garden.

For more information about Theodore House, please click here.

Timings

Arrivals from 3pm (Friday)
Course commences with dinner at 7pm (Friday) and introductions; lectures commence Saturday at 9:15am.
Departures after lunch (Monday)

Cost

Single room: £320 p.p.*

Twin room (sharing): £270 p.p.*

Non-residential, (includes lunch and dinner): £180 p.p.

*Costs include full board from Friday dinner to Monday lunch inclusive.

Bursaries are available for anyone (whether employed or not) who would like to come but would benefit from financial assistance. Please contact us at events@christianheritagecentre.com for further information.

“My first Cephas event has been excellent and I would recommend to everyone to attend. Hope to book for next year’s. Great learning environment, relaxed and no pressure, which I really appreciated.“

“It’s a real tribute to everyone who has been involved in pulling off such a huge topic brilliantly. Well done!“

Please register below (includes £50 p.p. deposit payment):

Venue:

Tags faith, philosophy, reason, theology, thomism

Courses Events

Ancient Byzantine Iconography Course [residential course]

Post author By stefan
Post date July 7, 2023

A 7-day course in

Ancient Byzantine Iconography

4th - 10th June 2024

Offering two separate icons and tracks for novices and experienced iconographers

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

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.

“I don’t know of any other course at such a high standard, with plenty of theological & spiritual input”

“Nikita is an incredibly inspiring teacher”

“Wonderful ambience, stunning setting, warm welcome”

Course level and icons

Our course welcomes both novices to the Prosopon technique and more experienced iconographers alike.

Novices (less than 4 icons written in the Prosopon technique) will write an icon of either St Michael or St Gabriel (archangels).

Experienced participants (at least 4 icons written in the Prosopon technique) will write an icon of St John the Baptist.

The theological and spiritual input will be given to the class as a whole.

Separate demonstrations for each step of the two icons will be offered to the two groups separately.

The novice group will benefit from the support of an additional tutor and supervised skills practice.

Meet our tutor

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.

About the venue

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.

Timings

Classes start in the morning of Tuesday 4th June. Residential participants are welcome to arrive from 6pm on Monday 3rd June, with dinner being included that evening.

Classes end in the afternoon of Monday 10th June, with departures from approx. 4pm.

Traveling to Stonyhurst from abroad

We are conveniently situated an hour’s drive from Manchester Airport, which is well-connected internationally.

Once you have booked your flights, please provide us with your flight details.

We will aim to arrange either a pick-up or shared transport with other course participants, either from Manchester Airport itself, or from Preston train station, which has a direct connection to Manchester airport.

Bed and breakfast for extra nights around the course may be be booked at a discounted rate, subject to availability.

Cost

Full board* & lodging, single room: £940 p.p.

Full board* & lodging, twin room: £840 p.p.

Non-residential, full board (lunch and dinner*): £660 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, but may be spread over several installments prior to this date.

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

“It was an amazing experience”

“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”

Please register below (deposit payment required).

This course is now near capacity. If the places indicated below are sold out, please email us at events@christianheritagecentre.com to inquire about a place on our waiting list.

Venue:

Tags ancient byzantine, icon class, icon painting, icon writing, russian iconography

Courses Events

Building Catholic Culture in Education [residential course]

Post author By stefan
Post date February 23, 2023

CPD for leaders of Catholic schools & MATs

Building Catholic Culture in Education

Friday 12th - Sunday 14th May 2023

A weekend exploring essential themes
for a Catholic ethos in today’s schools

“[The Catholic school’s] proper function is to create for the school community a special atmosphere animated by the Gospel spirit of freedom and charity … and to order the whole of human culture to the news of salvation so that the knowledge the students gradually acquire of the world, life and man is illumined by faith”

Second Vatican Council, Declaration on Christian Education “Gravissimum Educationis”

Our weekend course is aimed at governors, trustees, chief executives, heads and senior leaders who wish to engage in a serious discussion around the fundamentals of Catholic identity in a secular, multi-cultural and post-modern society, and the challenges of creating and sustaining a Catholic culture in educational settings in today’s Britain.

Bringing together an array of experienced and insightful practitioners with a variety of backgrounds, the course will enable a deeper understanding of the theological building blocks of a Catholic culture. The course will examine the opportunities and challenges presented by the increasingly secular culture in Britain today, in order to reflect on the commonalities and differences that go towards defining Catholic educational institutions.

Keynote speech:

Cultural Challenges to Catholic Education

by Mgr Michael Nazir-Ali

Sessions:

Why Catholic? The Uniqueness and Universality of Christ’s Church in a Pluralist World
Shifting Sands: Secular and Catholic Concepts of Person and Society
A Question of Nature: Created Male and Female or Genderless Creation?
Educating to be Catholic in Contemporary Society
Culture Wars in Catholic Schools: Feminism, LGBT and Critical Race Theory
Managing Culture Wars from a Legal Standpoint

Who is this course for?

This course is intended for those in positions of leadership or governance in Catholic multi-academy trusts and schools, whether as executives, senior leaders, governors or trustees.

Course structure

The weekend is built around six sessions and a keynote speech, allowing for questions and discussion time with each speaker, as well as dedicated discussion and plenary sessions.

A framework of prayer will be offered with daily morning and evening prayer and Mass.

Evening socials and free time provide a great opportunity for networking in a relaxed environment.

Meet the speakers

Mgr Michael Nazir-Ali was the 106th Bishop of Rochester, for 15 years, until 1 September 2009. He is originally from Southwest Asia and was the first Diocesan Bishop in the Church of England born abroad. He was appointed in 1994. Before that he was the General Secretary of CMS from 1989-1994 and prior to holding this position was Bishop of Raiwind in Pakistan. He holds both British and Pakistani citizenship and from 1999 was a member of the House of Lords where he was active in a number of areas of national and international concern. He has both a Christian and a Muslim family background and is now President of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue (OXTRAD).

Rev. Stephen Morgan has been Rector of the University of Saint Joseph since 2020. Originally from Wales in the UK, he is an Associate Professor of Theology and Ecclesiastical History.

After a career in finance in the City of London and Hong Kong, he spent fifteen years as the CFO/COO of a large not-for-profit in the UK. Returning to academic work in 2009, he read for a DPhil in Theology at the University of Oxford, where he was a post-doctoral Research Associate of St Benet’s Hall between 2013 and 2015. He has been a member of the academic staff of the Maryvale Institute of Higher Religious Sciences since 2011.

Katherine Bennett has a BA in Theology and an MA in Philosophy, and has taught Religious Education for over 20 years in London schools. She is now a writer and broadcaster, running weekly conversations about the Catholic Faith on YouTube, writing for the Catholic Herald and working with Catholic Voices. She was commissioned by Archbishop John Wilson to be deanery mentor responsible for evangelisaton in Southwark.

Ryan Christopher read history at the University of Cambridge before studying Philosophy at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas and Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

His passion for Christian anthropology is the result of years of experience in the field of teaching and evangelisation. Ryan held senior posts at Ampleforth College, York, and St Aloysius’ College, Glasgow as well as teaching in the state sector and providing private tuition. Ryan serves as director of ADF UK in London. He is the advisor to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education and regularly engages with the Department for Education regarding Christian Education.

Dr Gavin Ashenden studied theology at Oak Hill Theological College in London, and was ordained as an Anglican priest by + Mervyn Stockwood in Southwark Cathedral in 1980. He lectured at the University of Sussex for 23 years on the Psychology of Religion and Literature. He was a member of the General Synod of the Church of England for 20 years, and served as Chaplain to the Queen from 2008 to 2017.

Gavin resigned from the Church of England in 2017, then being ordained as a Missionary bishop to the UK and Europe for the Christian Episcopal Church. He has since been received into the Roman Catholic Church by + Mark Davies at Shrewsbury Cathedral. Dr Ashenden now writes as a lay Catholic, contributing articles to both secular and religious press, and continuing his well-established online ministry.

Stefan Kaminski studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and gained a Licentiate from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family Life. He has worked in parishes delivering catechesis, and in a wide range of schools in various roles from chaplain to governor and Head of Theology. He has served as Director of The Christian Heritage Centre charity for four years, creating and delivering Catholic formation to a range of audiences.

About the venue

For more information about Theodore House, please click here.

Timings

Arrivals from 5pm (Friday)
Course commences with evening prayer at 6:45pm and dinner at 7pm (Friday), followed by introductions and the first session
Departures from 3:15pm on Sunday

Cost

Single room: £220 p.p.*

Twin room (sharing): £180 p.p.*

Non-residential, (includes lunches and dinners): £130 p.p.

*Includes full board from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch inclusive.

Bursaries of up to £70 p.p. are available to support with the cost of the course where required.

Please contact events@christianheritagecentre.com for further information.

“The lecture content was well organised and focused on practical situations – intellectually challenging, but stimulating and easy to follow. Presentation was great and brought emphasis on the important points.”

“Thank you so much for this conference and all the effort and hard work that has been put into it. The ability to gather and discuss with a framework of reflection and prayer/sacraments is truly precious.“

Please register below (includes £50 p.p. deposit payment):

Venue:

Tags culture, education, philosophy, theology

Courses Events

Marriage Preparation

Post author By stefan
Post date December 1, 2022

Marriage Preparation

2024 Courses

Preparing you for marriage in the Catholic Church

“It is necessary to make preparatory programmes for the Sacrament of Marriage ever more effective, not only for human growth, but above all for the faith of the engaged couples. The fundamental objective of this encounter is to help engaged couples realise a progressive integration into the mystery of Christ, in the Church and with the Church.” (Pope Francis, Address to the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, 21 January 2017)

About CHC Marriage Preparation courses

Our courses meet the requirements for preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church.

They have been specifically designed to offer couples a presentation of fundamental, underlying themes as well as of the Sacrament of Marriage itself, according to the theological vision of the Catholic Church. Intrinsic to this presentation is an emphasis on personal integrity and honest communication as a couple, founded on the primary relationship with God.

Our Director, Stefan Kaminski, gained a licentiate at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies in Marriage and Family Life, the Church’s only institute dedicated to this area. He is supported by his wife, Eleonora, who is similarly qualified, and a team of couples who are experienced in delivering marriage preparation as well as in marriage itself!

Our events take place at Theodore House, set on the stunning Stonyhurst estate in the Ribble Valley.

2024 Marriage preparation course

Saturday 27th January & 3rd February (10am - 5pm)

Our marriage preparation course runs over two consecutive Saturdays.

The course explores all the fundamental themes necessary to providing couples with a clear overview of the vision for marriage offered by the Catholic Church, examining the Sacrament of Marriage through the promises that couples will make during the wedding ceremony.

Relational content is explored as part of the course through helpful questionnaires, which couples will have time to share and discuss.

Time for discussion and questions is built into each day, with material for couples to take away and reflect on as they approach their wedding.

The cost of the course includes a buffet lunch and refreshments on both days.

Cost

£90 per person / £180 per couple

Click to book

Location:

Tags catechesis, marriage, matrimony, sacraments

Courses Events

Praying with the Saints [retreats]

Post author By stefan
Post date October 12, 2022

Retreats

Praying with the Saints

Running in April, June & October 2023

Weekend retreats themed around the lives & spirituality
of three great spiritual masters of the West

This series of retreats offers participants an opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives of some of the great saints of the Western Church, as a way of developing and nurturing their own lives of faith.

The retreats are preached by well-established speakers and authorities on the respective saints, so that participants will be accompanied closely by these much-loved saintly figures.

Each retreat is entirely standalone.

St John of the Cross

St Ignatius of Loyola

St Thérèse of Lisieux

St John of the Cross

St Ignatius of Loyola

St Thérèse of Lisieux

Retreat structure

Each retreat will offer several talks over the weekend, framed by opportunities for Mass, communal prayer in the morning and evening, and Adoration.

Free time for walks and reflection is built into each retreat.

Meet our retreat guides

Retreat Master: St John of the Cross & St Teresa of Avila

Fr Matthew Blake is a Carmelite priest. Originally from Ireland, he has lived and worked in the UK for more than thirty years. His ministry has mainly involved retreat direction, for which he is well-known in the UK, and he has also worked in many different parishes.

Retreat Master: St Ignatius of Loyola

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.

Retreat Master: St Therese of Lisieux

Canon John Urdis 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.’

About the venue

For more information about Theodore House, please click here.

Timings

Arrivals from 3pm for a 6pm start on Friday
Departures from 3pm on Sunday

Cost (per retreat)

Single room: £180 p.p.*

Twin room (sharing): £135 p.p.*

*Costs include full board from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch inclusive.

Please register below (includes £50 p.p. deposit payment):

Venue:

Tags faith, retreat, saints, St Therese of Lisieux, theology

Courses Events

Human Nature, Gender & Identity [residential course]

Post author By stefan
Post date September 30, 2022

Short summer courses

'Who do you say that I am?'
Human Nature, Gender, and Identity

25th - 28th August 2023

Exploring the human person in the Thomistic theological tradition

“The disorientation regarding anthropology, which is a widespread feature of our cultural landscape, has undoubtedly helped to destabilise the family as an institution, bringing with it a tendency to cancel out the differences between men and women, presenting them instead as merely the product of historical and cultural conditioning”

Congregation for Catholic Education, “‘Male and Female He Created Them’: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender Theory in Education” (2019)

In partnership with

'Who do you say that I am?' Human Nature, Gender, and Identity

Previous course topics

'Who do you say that I am?' Human Nature, Gender, and Identity

Previous course topics

Is this course for me?

The course requires no prior qualification or knowledge, but is intended to serve as an introduction or primer to Catholic, Thomistic philosophy and theology.

For queries about the course content or requirements, please contact Dr George Corbett at gc63@st-andrews.ac.uk

Course structure

CEPHAS courses are built around a combination of philosophical and theological lectures and workshops, with plenty of discussion.

A guest talk, accompanied by good wine, is offered on one of the evenings.

The course is framed by opportunities for Mass during the day and communal prayer in the morning and evening.

Meet the tutors

Sr. Magdalene Eitenmiller, O.P. is a Dominican sister of the Stone Congregation.

Sr. Magdalene teaches courses on the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas online, and has developed a website called Thomisticstudies.org, as well as a Youtube channel, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

About the venue

For more information about Theodore House, please click here.

Timings

Arrivals from 3pm (Friday)
Course commences with dinner at 7pm (Friday) and introductions; lectures commence Saturday at 9:15am.
Departures after lunch (Monday)

Cost

Single room: £320 p.p.*

Twin room (sharing): £270 p.p.*

Non-residential, (includes lunch and dinner): £180 p.p.

*Costs include full board from Friday dinner to Monday lunch inclusive.

Please register below (includes £50 p.p. deposit payment):

Venue:

Tags faith, philosophy, reason, theology, thomism

Courses Events

Living Catholicism Today [residential course]

Post author By stefan
Post date September 21, 2022

Short summer courses

Living Catholicism Today

1st - 4th August 2024

How should we live? Catholicism and human morality for today

Part of the Faith & Reason course series, exploring the rationality of the Catholic Faith in todays world

Living Catholicism Today addresses the ever-present challenge of understanding how the moral precepts of an ancient faith are relevant to an ever-changing world.

The course begins by examining the nature and role of Divine Revelation for the moral life and the question of its interpretation. From there, it turns to the human person to reflect on the goal-driven nature of the physical and spiritual life, and on the emergent question of human morality. Particular attention will be paid to Catholic sexual morality. The course will then examine the role of grace and the virtues in the Christian life, and will offer a consideration of the moral education of children.

This course is part of our Faith & Reason course series, which provide a systematic overview of the fundamental themes of the Catholic faith. At the same time, these are approached in the context of contemporary culture and thinking, in order to engage in a dialogue that is relevant today.

Each course is entirely standalone and does not require attendance at the other courses. The courses nonetheless offer a progression through the three themes as below, whilst also providing some link-up material between each course.

Faith & Reason course series overview

A Catholic Integration

Catholicism &
Contemporary Culture

Living Catholicism Today

A Catholic Integration

Catholicism &
Contemporary Culture

Living Catholicism Today

Is this course for me?

The Faith & Reason courses require no prior qualification or background in philosophy or theology, and are suited to anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith, whether from within or without the Church.

The courses will be particularly helpful for:

secondary-level teachers of RE
catechists, especially those working with teenagers and adults
leaders in educational or Church institutions

Course structure

Each course consists of 9 lectures and a workshop, and closes with a general Q&A session.

The course is framed by opportunities for Mass during the day and communal prayer in the morning and evening.

Some free time for walks and reflection is offered as part of each course, as well as evening socials with a well-stocked bar!

Meet our tutors

Dr Caroline Farey has taught catechesis, theology and philosophy for many years throughout the English-speaking world. In 2017 she was appointed by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation to the working party for the General Directory for Catechesis, and in 2012 she was appointed by the Vatican as one of the lay experts at the Synod on the New Evangelisation. Dr Farey taught at St Mary’s Seminary Oscott and the Maryvale Institute, before working in Evangelisation and Catechesis for several UK dioceses. She has licentiates in both philosophy and theology, besides a doctorate in philosophy, from pontifical institutes.

Dr Andrew Beards is a lecturer in philosophy at Allen Hall, London. For over thirty years he has lectured in Philosophy and Theology in Canada and the UK. Andrew has published work in academic journals and is the author of books, including Objectivity and Historical Understanding, (Brookfield. VA & Aldershot: Ashgate, 1997), Method in Metaphysics: (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008), Insight and Analysis, (New York and London: Continuum, 2010), Philosophy the Quest for Truth and Meaning, (Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 2010) and Lonergan, Meaning and Method: Philosophical Essays, (New York and London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016)

Stefan Kaminski is the Director of The Christian Heritage Centre. Since 2019, he has overseen the charity’s development of in-person and online content, both theological and spiritual, to support adult Catholics, lay and ordained, in their mission in the UK. Stefan has organised a number of Catholic formation initiatives in the UK, including symposiums and online formation programmes on the Theology of the Body. Together with his wife, Eleonora, he provides marriage preparation courses and continuing theological formation for catechists, teachers and diocesan leaders. Stefan gained a licentiate in sacred theology (STL) from the John Paul II Institute for Studies in Marriage and Family Life, Rome, specialising in the theological anthropology of the sexual complementarity.