Weekend Retreat
Praying with
Saint Francis of Assisi
19th - 21st July 2024
"Learn from me" (Mt 11:29):
Following Jesus in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi
Led by Fr Emmanuel Mansford, CFR
Francis of Assisi remains one of the most beloved saints of all time. His love for the natural world, for his fellow human beings, and for the poor and suffering Christ have gained for him a wide appeal among Christians and non-Christians alike. Moreover, his love and devotion for the Church and her sacraments (especially the Eucharist), stood at the heart of his radically-new-yet-faithfully-Catholic way of life.
We are delighted to welcome the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal to preach this weekend retreat on Saint Francis.
Retreat structure
This 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
Fr Emmanuel Mansford is originally from a small village in Bedfordshire. He joined the Franciscan of the Renewal in the Bronx, NY in 1998 and made his solemn vows in 2003. Ordained a priest in 2007, he lived for several years in the friary in the East End of London where he served as the local superior. In 2014 he became the vocation director for the friars and lived in New York City where he was involved in the friars apostolates of preaching the Gospel and serving the needy. He has a passion for preaching and people and loves to see God’s people encounter Him and come to life through the Gospel. He also enjoys playing and watching football and is a boyhood fan of Luton Town FC. He recently moved back to the UK to serve with the friars in their mission in Bradford.
Br. Mariano Bonaventura CFR is from Brazil and has lived in Mexico, Honduras, and the USA. Currently residing in England, he holds a keen interest in the theology of Saint Bonaventure.
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 for a 6pm start on Friday
- Departures from 3pm on Sunday
Cost (per retreat)
Single room: £210 p.p.*
Twin room (sharing): £150 p.p.*
Non-residential (includes lunches and dinners): £90
*Costs include full board from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch inclusive.
“The content of the talks and delivery by the retreat guide was exceptional.”
Please register below (includes £50 p.p. deposit payment):
Venue & Getting to us:
If you are reliant on public transport, please consider traveling by train to Preston train station. From there, we aim to co-ordinate minicab shares or lifts amongst participants of any given event. If you require further advice or assistance, email us: [email protected]
Fr Roger Dawson SJ is a Jesuit priest, previously Director of St Beuno’s Jesuit Spirituality Centre. He is trained as a clinical psychologist and has a long experience as retreat and spiritual director. He is currently the Superior of the Jesuits in Scotland.
Fr Lawrence Lew is the General Promoter of the Rosary and the Rosary Confraternity for the Dominican Order throughout the world. He is author of 
Stefan and Ella Kaminski both have Licentiates from the John Paul II Institute for Studies in Marriage and Family Life, having dedicated their studies to the themes of human love and sexual complementarity. Stefan serves as Director of The Christian Heritage Centre, where he has been creating and delivering Catholic formation content for the last five years. Ella previously worked at the John Paul II Institute in Rome, before joining Stefan in Lancashire following their marriage. She is engaged in teaching dogmatic theology to seminarians on the one hand, and 5-year-olds on the other. Together, they offer marriage preparation courses and ongoing formation for catechetists.
Fr Jean Gové’s research—in philosophy of mind and language—focuses on the relationship between thought, reference, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence.
Dr Joey Belleza is a recent doctoral graduate of the University of Cambridge, where he wrote a dissertation entitled “In Principio Erat Signum: Dueling Dionysianisms & Sacramental Semiotics in Thomistic and Mystical Franciscan Poetry”. His research interests span the fields of historical and systematic theology, Thomistic and Franciscan studies, liturgical studies, and contemporary philosophy. He is currently Assistant for Marketing & Communications for the CHC.
Fr Anthony Doe is a priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster, ordained in 1981. He is a qualified psychotherapist, with multiple post graduate degrees. He exercises his priestly ministry as a therapist and spiritual director, and is an experienced retreat director. Fr Doe has served as the Spiritual Director of the Venerable English College in Rome and is currently Spiritual Director at Allen Hall Seminary in London.
Our course welcomes both novices to the Prosopon technique and more experienced iconographers alike.
For years Nikita Andreyev apprenticed to his father, Vladislav Andreyev, complimenting this experience with postgraduate theological studies in Paris and the United States.
