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Events Talks

Communicating the Invisible [evening talk]

Communicating the Invisible:
Caravaggio's Spirituality
[evening talk]

20 February, 7:30pm [2020]

The Catholic foundations of Caravaggio's work

Caravaggio’s genius is widely recognised, but its real roots are often overlooked. Explore the relationship of the physical and spiritual worlds in Caravaggio’s painting.

The figure of Caravaggio as revolutionary in the history of western painting is one with which our own generation feels a particular affinity. The re-recognition of his genius some fifty or sixty years ago has even led some to consider him as a twentieth century painter, though he died in the year 1610. Many of our contemporaries delight to re-write history and to remold historical figures in a way which reinforces ideas of today. The real genius of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, though, is firmly rooted in the world he inhabited, the earthly and the spiritual. His unique ability to communicate a deeply held Christian faith, because it is less fashionable today, is even more revolutionary than many of his modern admirers might allow. 
About the speaker:
Rev L J R Daley, priest of the Liverpool Archdiocese, holds a License from the Pontifical Atheneum of Sant’Anselmo, Rome, graduated from the Accademia delle Belle Arti of Rome, and is currently of parish priest of Saint John the Evangelist, Burscough, Lancashire. 
Cost:

£5 (tickets at the door)

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Events Talks

Newman: A Heart to Heart [evening talk]

Newman:
A Heart To Heart
[evening talk]

24 October, 7:30pm [2019]

A Journey Through Neman's Life and Work

Bl. John Henry Newman will be canonised on 13th October. Explore his life and spirituality in this three-part talk.

John Henry Newman is the latest English person to be canonised. He is a figure of great importance for our time. Fr Laurence Gambella will explore Newman’s life and work, taking us on a three-part encounter with this great man:

  1. Newman’s Heart: the personal encounter with God – the affairs of the heart – are central to understanding this saint
  2. Newman’s Life: a sketch of Newman’s life and his spiritual journey
  3. Newman’s Relevance for Today: pointers for the hope that Newman can provide for the future
About the speaker:

Fr Laurence Gambella is a priest of Salford Diocese, hailing from Blackburn. He studied at Oxford University, the Pontifical Beda College in Rome and the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies. He serves as chaplain to the Catholic Medical Association and as Hospital Chaplain.

Cost:

£5

 

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Events Talks

Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters [online evening talk] – #4 St Thomas Aquinas

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters 4 - St Thomas Aquinas
[online evening talk]

Thursday 22 October @7:30pm

The Answer is 43:
Aquinas on Life, the Universe & Everything

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

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.

Next in the series:

5th November – St Francis de Sales with Canon Scott Tanner, I.C.K.S.P.

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

 

Please register below:

 
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Events Talks

Our English History & Its Saints [conference]

Our English History & Its Saints
[conference]

Saturday 7 March, 10am - 6pm

A day of learning about & celebrating our Christian story

Join us for a fun day of learning and activities, presented by Joanna Bogle, DSG.

We were once part of the Roman Empire, the same empire into which Christ was born. The Faith first came to Britain through the trade routes of that same Roman Empire. Then barbarians invaded and there were fresh reasons to evangelise, which led to the Saxon Christian era, the Vikings, the Normans – and then to Middle Ages, the Tudors, on to modern times… Come and hear the whole story!

The day will include:

  • Parallel activities for adults and children
  • For the adults: talks, workshops and a history walk
  • For the children: treasure hunts, stories, fact-finding and creative activities
  • Visit to the Stonyhurst College Historic Libraries and Old Chapel Museum
  • Morning coffee and buns
  • Afternoon tea and cakes
  • Drinks reception

Families, couples or individuals are all welcome to join us for a fascinating and informative day!

The day starts at 10am with a welcome over coffee and buns...

For the adults, the day will include the following:

  • Introductory talk on Britain’s Christian Story
  • Choice of workshops on the Saints of Saxon England
  • A Catholic History Walk contemplating Medieval England
  • A glimpse of Catholic Recusancy in Stonyhurst’s Old Chapel Museum
  • A closing talk on The Tudors and on to Newman
About the speaker:

Joanna Bogle, DSG is an author, broadcaster and historian. Currently Visiting Research Fellow at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, she has lectured in Britain, the USA, and Australia. She has written over 20 books, including on Newman’s London, A Book of Saints and Heroines and A Yearbook of Seasons and Celebrations. She is well-known for her Catholic History Walks around London. A former London Borough councillor, Joanna is chairman of LOGS – a ladies group in the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham – and works with the Association of Catholic Women, running events and conferences for families and schools. She is also chairman of Christian Projects, a charity running Bible-based RE projects for Britain’s secondary schools.

Cost:

Adults: £29

Children: £15

Family ticket (2 aduls + 2 children): £78

Buffet lunch supplement: £9.50 (adults), £6.50 (children)

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Events Talks

Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters [online evening talk] – #1 St Ignatius of Loyola

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters 1 - St Ignatius of Loyola
[online evening talk]

Thursday 3 September @7:30pm

Man of His Time and Saint for the Present

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

This is the first talk in our new online series of talks: Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters. It will explore 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.

Next in the series:

24th September – St Therese of Lisieux with Canon John Udris.

8th October – St John Henry Newman with Dr Giuseppe Pezzini.

22nd October – St Thomas Aquinas with Fr Richard Conrad, O.P.

5th November – St Francis de Sales with Canon Scott Tanner, I.C.K.S.P.

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

 

Please register below:

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Events Talks

Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters [online evening talk] – #2 St Therese of Lisieux

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters 2 - St Therese of Lisieux
[online evening talk]

Thursday 24 September @7:30pm

Forging a Little Way to Heaven

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

This is the second talk in our new online series: Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters. It will explore 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.’

Next in the series:

8th October – St John Henry Newman with Dr Giuseppe Pezzini.

22nd October – St Thomas Aquinas with Fr Richard Conrad, O.P.

5th November – St Francis de Sales with Canon Scott Tanner, I.C.K.S.P.

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

 

Please register below:

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Events Talks

Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters [online evening talk] – #3 St John Henry Newman

Saints, Scholars & Spiritual Masters 3 - St John Henry Newman
[online evening talk]

Thursday 8 October @7:30pm

Newman, Belief & Reality:
Finding God in the World

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

The third talk of Saints, Scholars and Spiritual Masters will explore 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.

Dr Giuseppe Pezzini
About the speaker:

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).

Next in the series:

22nd October – St Thomas Aquinas with Fr Richard Conrad, O.P.

5th November – St Francis de Sales with Canon Scott Tanner, I.C.K.S.P.

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

 

Please register below:

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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:

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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

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:

 
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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.***

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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.

Other videos in the series: