Weekend Retreat
Unveiled Faces:
Healing & Transformation
with the Saints
27th- 29th June 2025
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Mt 9:12)
Led by Fr Emmanuel Mansford, CFR
Holiness begins with the acknowledgment of our need for healing and redemption. The saints were not perfect people. Like us, they were born into a broken world and experienced their own share of brokenness. Progressively they were transformed by the Lord’s grace and mercy. The saints show us this very real human journey lived out in very real human ways.
During this retreat the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal will help us to acknowledge our own wounds and seek the healing power of grace as experienced concretely by different saints.
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: £230 p.p.*
Twin room (sharing): £175 p.p.*
Non-residential (includes lunches and dinners): £115
*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]