Pilgrimage of Reparation and Prayer for the Sanctity of Life

All are welcome to join the annual Pilgrimage of Reparation and Prayer for the Sanctity of Life on Saturday, 1 August 2026, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.

This pilgrimage aims not only to act as an act of reparation for abortion, praying for the souls of babies who have been or will be aborted, but also for all mothers and fathers facing this very difficult decision.

The Walsingham pilgrimage will commence with the 12pm Pilgrim Mass and the Angelus in the chapel. The remainder of the day will include Eucharistic Adoration, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Litany of Life, and Benediction. This will be followed by the praying of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Blessed Rosary and a silent walk as an act of reparation. The pilgrimage will conclude with a Prayer for England and the Salve Regina.

More information, including details on coach bookings, can be found on the poster and website: Pro-Life Pilgrimage Website

Those unable to attend in person are invited to join the pilgrims in prayer

Kairos Spirituality Centre Retreat Programme 2026

The Kairos Spirituality Centre has published its Retreat Programme for 2026, offering a wide range of opportunities for prayer, reflection and spiritual growth.

Rooted in the concept of Kairos – a “favourable time” or “graced moment” – the programme invites participants to step away from daily demands and enter a space of stillness, renewal and encounter with God. Each retreat offers time for prayer, reflection, and rest, within a supportive and peaceful environment.

The programme includes:

• Silent preached retreats led by experienced retreat directors

• Themed retreats and Holy Week retreat experiences

• Individually guided retreats with spiritual direction

• Weekend events and workshops, including leadership formation

• Day retreats and opportunities for young adults

A particular highlight this year is the weekend workshop The Flourishing Religious Leader, led by Fr Hugh Lagan SMA, taking place from 18th – 20th September 2026 at the Kairos Centre.

This workshop is open to anyone serving in a leadership role within their diocese, congregation, religious community, or Church. It is designed to help religious leaders recognise and deepen their unique leadership strengths, build personal and collaborative resilience, navigate challenges with confidence, and better understand the impact of stress, blind spots and languishing in leadership roles. Together, participants will also reflect on ways to sustain and renew a sense of purpose and passion for leadership amid the rapid change and ongoing diminishment shaping Church life today. Become the leader you want to see.

Fr Hugh Lagan is a priest with the Society of African Missions and a chartered clinical psychologist. He has led workshops and retreats internationally on psychological and spiritual well-being, positive change, trauma and resilience.

For full details, including dates, themes and booking information, please visit the Kairos website.

Click here to view the full programme and book your place.

Friends of the Holy Land – A Call to Prayer and Support

At this time, many are aware of the deeply distressing situation unfolding across the Middle East. The fragile nature of peace is once again evident, as conflict and uncertainty bring suffering to so many, especially to Christian communities living in the Holy Land, the very place where Christ walked, died, and rose again.

Friends of the Holy Land, an ecumenical charity, continues to provide vital, practical support to Christian families in Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Their work includes direct financial assistance for those facing hardship, displacement, and insecurity; skills training to help young adults find pathways into stable employment; fresh water provision for families in the West Bank; support for the elderly; special educational needs provision in Bethlehem; and summer camps for children traumatised by conflict and violence.

This is a moment not only for awareness, but for prayer and solidarity. It is a reminder of how quickly peace can unravel, and how important it is to hold these communities in our hearts.

To learn more about their work or to offer support, please visit: 👉 www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk

Centre of Applied Carmelite Spirituality Summer 2026

Three special events this July at the Carmelite Priory, Oxford, mark the double jubilee of Saint John of the Cross, offering opportunities for renewal, prayer, and formation.

The Centre for Applied Carmelite Spirituality at the Carmelite Priory, Boars Hill, Oxford, is hosting three special gatherings this July, marking 300 years since the canonisation of Saint John of the Cross and 100 years since his proclamation as a Doctor of the Church.

These events offer rich opportunities for renewal, formation, and deepening for members of religious communities, bringing together scholars, spiritual directors, artists, and seekers from across the world.

Contemplative Spirituality Summit · 10–11 July 2026 · Oxford & Online
Contemplative Creativity & Human Flourishing
A two-day gathering exploring the renewal of the human spirit through contemplative wisdom, with keynote addresses, sessions, workshops, shared silence, and sacred music. Speakers include Cardinal Anders Arborelius OCD, Dr Susan Muto, and Fr Iain Matthew OCD. A deep source of renewal and theological nourishment for those in active religious life.

Within God Concert · Saturday 11 July, 7:30 pm · Oxford & Livestream
Five original musical pieces inspired by the mystical poetry of Saint John of the Cross, offering a contemplative act of prayer through music, accessible to all.
In person £38/£30 · Online £20

Spirituality Summer School · 12–16 July 2026 · Oxford & Online
Taste and See: The Wisdom Sayings of Saint John of the Cross
A week of deep formation including teaching, prayer, silence, and community life at the Priory, guided by Dr Susan Muto. An ideal retreat and formation opportunity for those seeking renewal.
Residential from £789 · Online from £150

All are welcome. Further details, including registration, can be found at carmelite.uk.net.

For Sale: 11-Bedroom Community Property in Surrey

A religious congregation has an 11-bedroom en-suite property available in Wonersh, near Guildford (Surrey), ideally suited for use as a community house.

The house is arranged over three storeys and benefits from an internal lift, providing ease of access throughout the property. The property includes a reception area, chapel, living room, kitchen, dining room and laundry facilities. There is ample parking, including two garages, and the house is set within a very private area with its own grounds, including a wooded area.

Located within the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, the property is close to other religious communities.

For more information, or to be put in touch with the relevant contact, please email communications@corew.org.

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The House of Prayer Programme 2026

The House of Prayer offers a breathing space and everything needed for a retreat. They offer to others a way of nurturing their relationship with God through prayer, meditation, spiritual retreats, and Christian education. Explore the programme brochure for 2026 here.

Let Him Easter in us
Saturday 25 April 2026
Led by Dr Antonia Lynn

The Feast of St Mark falls in Eastertide and we celebrate it today. This spring Saturday offers a chance to reflect on the Paschal Mystery through the lens of St Mark’s Gospel; a chance to experience Easter as a verb (as Gerard Manley Hopkins does in his poem The Wreck of the Deutschland, from which today’s title comes) — God’s work in progress in our lives. This is planned as a spacious day, with time to go at your own pace and enjoy reflection, rest and gentle creativity.

Cost: £35 / including B&B: £110

Longing for God: Individually Guided Retreat
Friday 1 – Sunday 3 May 2026
Led by the House of Prayer Team

A silent individually guided retreat for busy people, those who have not made a retreat before, or for anyone who simply needs time and space to stop, breathe, and pray. A trained spiritual director will be available for daily individual meetings to accompany you through the retreat. Above all, this retreat is a time of listening to God who is present in the experiences of prayer and daily living.

Cost: Standard: £230 / En-suite: £250

Contemplative Art
Thursday 7, 14, 21, 28 May & 4, 11 June 2026
Led by Cari Bridgen   

Creativity and art can help us connect more deeply with ourselves, God, and the world around us. This course offers an opportunity to explore contemplative art, and our creative expression and prayer. Over six mornings, there will be space to creatively respond to themes exploring the relationship between ourselves, God and creation, including our embodied nature; spirituality, theology and ecology; and our personal response to destruction and the present eco-crisis. Each session will include time for prayer, meditations on a weekly theme, music, practical creative time, and sharing. This course will meet on six Thursdays between 10am and 1pm.

Cost: £90

When the Saints go Marching in
Saturday 30 May 2026
Led by Anne Booth

When the Saints go marching in, do we really want to be in their number? In the Christian tradition we have the Saints, whose stories and images are so familiar that they can feel like our heavenly friends and family, yet sometimes their extraordinary examples of holiness can be hard to reconcile with our own more ordinary lives. How can we be inspired without being demoralised, and how is God inviting us to live out our own call to sainthood? This day will explore the stories of the saints and their spiritualities, and the fact and fiction which surrounds them. We will pray about and ponder the fact that they were real, imperfect people, and, using the Gospels, poetry and the writings of Thomas Merton, consider the part they can play today in inspiring us to love God with all our hearts, souls and minds, and our neighbours as ourselves.

Cost: £35 / including B&B: £110

Longing for God: Individually Guided Retreat
Friday 5 – Sunday 7 June 2026
Led by the House of Prayer Team

A silent individually guided retreat for busy people, those who have not made a retreat before, or for anyone who simply needs time and space to stop, breathe, and pray. A trained spiritual director will be available for daily individual meetings to accompany you through the retreat. Above all, this retreat is a time of listening to God who is present in the experiences of prayer and daily living.

Cost: Standard: £230 / En-suite: £250

Present Tents
Friday 19 – Sunday 21 June 2026  
Led by Mary Chamberlin

This weekend workshop/retreat is an invitation to rest in peaceful surroundings and recognise an internal space that is within us all. Inhabiting this prayerful place, we can reflect how God longs to lovingly envelop us and waits for our response. Over this mid-summer weekend, we will use art materials to make marks and/or build 3D images that assure us of God’s vital, constant, unconditional and eternal love. It is not necessary to have any artistic skill or to have had any previous art experience, you are just invited to reflect and respond visually noticing what might be emerging for you as you do so.

Cost: Standard: £240 / En-suite: £260 / Day guest: £125

Llysfasi Spirituality Workshop

The Llysfasi Spirituality Workshop is a residential, experiential programme offering a rich opportunity for ongoing formation, personal renewal, and deepening in spiritual accompaniment.

Rooted in the dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, the workshop invites participants into a reflective and creative journey through key themes of human and spiritual life. It is designed for those who are already engaged in their own inner journey and are open to growing in awareness, discernment, and accompaniment of others.

The programme includes times of prayer and personal reflection, contemplative listening in small groups, and input from an experienced team. Participants will explore the practice of discernment and have the opportunity both to accompany another person and to be accompanied during a three-day retreat within the workshop. A variety of creative resources — including art, music, poetry, movement, and scripture — are also used to support a deeper encounter with God.

Facilitators: Mary Rose Fitzsimmons HHS, Richard Sloan, Sheila McNamara RSCJ, and Silvia Bereczki HHS — an experienced team in spiritual accompaniment, retreats, and formation.

This workshop is particularly suited to those who are reflective, open, and attentive to their inner life, and who recognise spirituality as a way of being in the world that seeks to encounter God in all things.

Taking place at the Loreto Spirituality Centre in Llandudno, the workshop runs from Saturday 8 August (4:00pm) to Tuesday 25 August 2026 (after breakfast). The cost is £1,600, inclusive of accommodation, resources, and team fees. A limited number of bursaries are available.

Further details, including how to apply, can be found in the flyer linked here.

Shepherds Law News

We are delighted to share the April 2026 edition of Shepherds Law News. To stay connected with life at the Hermitage, please visit shepherdslawhermitage.org.

Upcoming Retreats at the Dupuis Retreat and Conference Centre

The Dupuis Retreat and Conference Centre in Selly Park is delighted to share details of its upcoming programme of retreats and day events, offering opportunities for prayer, reflection and spiritual renewal in a peaceful setting.

Upcoming Retreats

Individually Guided Retreat (IGR)
Led by Sr Pauline Myers SP and Sr Una Coogan CJ
Monday 11 – Monday 18 May

The retreat begins with supper at 6:00pm and ends after breakfast on the final day.
A shorter retreat is available on request.

Cost: £655

Rejoicing in Hearing the Voice of the Bridegroom
Spiritual lessons from St John the Baptist
Led by Canon Luke Smith
Monday 8 – Friday 12 June

The retreat begins with supper at 6:00pm and ends after breakfast on the final day.

“The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete” (Gospel of St John 3:29)

Cost: £405

Canon Luke was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Southwark at Corpus Christi Church, Tonbridge on 4 June 1995. After several years as an Assistant Priest, he was appointed Parish Priest at Ss Austin & Gregory in Margate (2002–2014), during which time he completed an MA in Spirituality and served as Dean of the Thanet Deanery from 2007. He was appointed a Chapter Canon in 2012.

In 2014, Canon Luke became Parish Priest at St Francis, Maidstone, and Dean of the Maidstone Deanery (2014–2017), before being appointed Spiritual Director of St John’s Seminary, Wonersh. Archbishop John Wilson announced his current role as Episcopal Vicar for Priestly Life on 8 April 2022. He is also a member of the On-going Formation Team for the Archdiocese.

For bookings and further details, please contact:

Sr Margaret Mattison
📞 0121 415 6100
📧 margaret.mattison@sellypark.org
🌐 www.dupuiscentre.co.uk
📍 St Paul’s Convent, 94 Selly Park Road, Birmingham, B29 7LL

Saint Andrew's Retreat House, London - Programme of Events 2026

The Sisters of St Andrew are offering a series of reflective quiet days drawing on Ignatian spirituality, creativity, poetry and prayerful reflection. These gatherings invite participants to pause, reflect, and engage deeply with different themes.

Advance booking is essential, and further details are available on the Sisters of St Andrew website.

Click here to explore the full calendar of events for 2026.

Loreto Spirituality Centre, Llandudno

Tucked beside the Great Orme on the North Wales coast in Llandudno, the Loreto Spirituality Centre offers a peaceful haven for prayer, rest, and reflection. The Centre hosts a variety of individually guided and themed retreats, welcomes groups and conferences, and provides quiet time for individuals seeking solace in beautiful surroundings.

Explore their 2026 programme, a rich schedule of retreats, days of reflection, and spiritual opportunities.

www.loretocentre.org.uk

A Season of Grace by Sr Siobhán O’Keeffe

A Season of Grace, written by Sr Siobhán O’Keeffe, is a reflective guide for the season of Lent, inviting readers into a deeper journey of prayer, renewal and relationship with God. Through thoughtful reflections, it encourages engagement with the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and service, while offering space to reflect on themes of hope, justice and spiritual growth as we journey towards Easter.

👉 Click here to purchase the book: https://www.kevinmayhew.com/products/a-season-of-grace

International Safeguarding Conference 2026

The International Safeguarding Conference 2026 will take place from 16–19 June 2026 at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, under the theme: One Commitment, Many Contexts: Safeguarding Across Cultures.

The conference brings together academics, safeguarding practitioners, religious leaders, educators and advocates from around the world to promote learning and networking, and to foster dialogue on safeguarding through the lens of interculturality. This shared dialogue supports participants in developing more effective ways of responding across diverse cultural and social contexts, particularly within communities with significant migrant populations.

This year introduces a more interactive structure, combining practical application with corresponding theoretical reflection. Online working groups from different regions will contribute to the programme, supported for the first time by the IADC Blended Learning app, enabling participants to share materials such as photos, symbols and reflections from their local safeguarding contexts.

The programme is underpinned by the core safeguarding principles of transparency, accountability and compliance, explored through shared reflection, intercultural exchange and collaborative learning. Working groups will continue these conversations during the conference, supported by expert academic input. The final day will include the Safeguarding Research Lab, featuring a range of research presentations and posters on safeguarding topics.

Support is available for participants from disadvantaged regions, particularly women religious, including possible registration fee waivers and travel or accommodation subsidies (subject to criteria).

Main conference sessions will also be live-streamed free of charge via YouTube and made available on the conference website.

For further information, including registration details, please visit:
👉 www.thesafeguardingconference.org or contact: info@saferchurch.org

The ANNA Trust Foundation: Upcoming Webinars & Initiatives

The ANNA Trust works alongside congregations worldwide, with a special focus on those in challenging circumstances, to promote a dignified and healthy aging journey for Catholic sisters. It values their lasting contribution to ministry and is committed to ensuring they receive the care and support needed for the years ahead.

Upcoming Webinars

How to Collaborate: Strategies and Skills for Success - April 27 2026 3pm CET
The webinar will be presented by Sister Pat Murray, C.J  Chair of the ANNA TRUST FOUNDATION and Sister Tere Maya CCIV, Vice Chair of the ANNA TRUST FOUNDATION. Register here.

Supporting Communication in Dementia Care, The Speech and Language Perspective - April 27 2026 3pm CET
The webinar will be presented by Dr. Suzanna Dooley.  Register here.

International Collaboration: Clinical Dementia Education
In collaboration with the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College Dublin and its associated UK neurology department, ANNA Trust is developing an International Dementia Certificate Course for Clinical Professionals aimed at global religious communities. This initiative is especially pertinent for sister doctors and other clinicians involved in dementia care.

Additional Initiatives
The Foundation recently launched a Cognitive Impairment Support Initiative, supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, in partnership with the Avila Institute for Gerontology. This program equips sisters worldwide to understand and care compassionately for those experiencing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease—grounded in a gospel-based, compassionate ethos.

About ANNA Trust
The ANNA Trust is a global nonprofit based in Rome dedicated to supporting the collective efforts of congregations globally, especially those in vulnerable contexts, to ensure a healthy, dignified aging process for all Catholic sisters and to help them provide the relevant long-term care needed.

A Call to Prayer for Parliamentarians and a Culture of Life

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has issued a call to prayer, inviting the faithful to unite in a Holy Hour for parliamentarians and for the renewal of a culture of life.

This initiative follows an invitation from Archbishop John Sherrington and will take place during the Bishops’ Plenary Assembly after Easter.

Members of the Conference of Religious of England and Wales are warmly encouraged to take part by joining in prayer at the same time as the bishops. Religious communities and congregations may also wish to organise a parallel Holy Hour within their own houses or parishes, uniting with this national moment of prayer.

This shared initiative offers an opportunity for communities across England and Wales to come together in prayerful solidarity, supporting those in public life and promoting a renewed commitment to the dignity of every human life.

Further details, including the date, time and full call to prayer, can be found here: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/pray-for-parliamentarians-and-for-a-culture-of-life/

Better Together 2026 – Flourishing: Living Life to the Full

A two-day gathering of Religious Communities Caring for the Sick (RCCS) will take place at Boarbank Hall, Cumbria, bringing together those involved in care within religious communities to share learning, reflection and support.

The RCCS network began following a meeting of Religious Communities Caring for the Sick held at Boarbank Hall at the turn of 2018/19. At the end of that meeting there was a desire to continue meeting, sharing ideas and offering mutual support.

To support this, an ECHO (Extended Community Health Outcomes) Network, hosted by Queenscourt Hospice, Southport, was established. Since April 2019, the RCCS ECHO Network has met for one hour at 8.00am roughly each month. The network continued to support one another throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and has now met more than 60 times.

Over time the sessions have explored a wide range of topics connected with care in religious communities. These have included caring for the dying, future care planning, the spirituality of ageing, collaborative working, funding, healthy eating, grief and bereavement, happiness and wellbeing, sensory impairment, meaningful activity, regulatory frameworks, and sleep, rest and recreation.

Guest speakers have included Kathryn Mannix, Dr David Unwin, and Baroness Hollins, whose contributions have enriched the conversations and shared learning within the network.

The Better Together Conference grew from the group’s desire to meet face-to-face, get to know one another better, and share both physical and spiritual nourishment. This gathering will be the fourth Better Together Conference, focusing on the theme “Flourishing: Living Life to the Full.”

The conference will take place from Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 April at Boarbank Hall, Allithwaite, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria (LA11 7NH). The programme will include reflection, discussion sessions, shared prayer, and opportunities for informal conversation and community building as participants explore together what it means to flourish in later life and in communities caring for others.

The organisers are grateful to Douai Abbey and Boarbank Hall, who have kindly agreed to host the conference on alternate years.

Bookings can be made by contacting Sr Marian at bookings@boarbankhall.org.uk or by telephone on 015395 32288.

Monastery of Our Lady and St. Bernard 2025 Programme

The Bernardine Cistercians at the Monastery of Our Lady and St Bernard are pleased to offer a programme of retreats and Quiet Days during 2026.

Full details for each event are shown in the posters below. For further information or to make a booking, visitors are invited to contact the monastery directly or visit the website.

📧 bookings_brownshill@yahoo.co.uk
📞 01453 883084

St Euphrasia’s Care Home – Respite Service for Religious Sisters

St Euphrasia’s Care Home in Blackley, Manchester, is now offering a respite service for Religious sisters who may benefit from a short period of rest, support, and renewal in a welcoming community setting.

The home provides a warm, friendly, and peaceful environment, designed to support sisters who may need additional assistance while taking time to regain their strength and independence.

During a respite stay, residents can benefit from:

• Support with daily living

• Assistance in regaining independence

• A nurse call system throughout the home

• Staff on duty 24 hours a day

• Home-cooked meals

• Assisted bath or shower facilities

• A welcoming community and companionship

• Daily Mass

• Single bedrooms, some with en-suite facilities

• Wi-Fi access

• Television in each room

• Telephone in each room with a private landline number

For further information, please contact Jayne (Manager):

Telephone: 0161 653 2010 / 07850 181556
Email: euphrasia116@gmail.com

Catholic Investors Forum

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Managing institutional funds today presents a unique set of challenges. There is a great deal to be gained by sharing experience and working more closely together to ensure that Catholic faith is reflected in investment decisions.

An informal gathering is being convened to explore the creation of a new Catholic Investors Forum. The aim is to establish a dedicated space where Catholic investors can come together as peers to share insights, discuss common hurdles, and learn from one another.

An initial online meeting is being organised for diocesan finance professionals and those responsible for investments within religious orders and congregations. This will be an opportunity to meet colleagues and hear something of their journeys so far.

Date: Thursday 5 March
Time: 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm
Location: Online (Zoom link provided upon registration)

Proposed Agenda

• Opening Prayer – MaryAnne Francalanza fcJ

• The Catholic Investors Forum – A brief introduction to what has brought this group together

• Group Discussions:

  • Introductions: What brings you here today?

  • Alignment: How do the teachings of the Church currently affect your investment choices?

  • Reflection: Are you satisfied with how your portfolios align with your faith?

  • Support: What specific help or resources would you value from a group like this?

• Next Steps – A proposal for a future in-person meeting

How to join: Please use this link to register for the event: https://forms.office.com/e/KNtfDzFQF2

Those interested in being part of the Forum but unable to attend this first meeting can also express their interest and stay updated by clicking HERE.

The convening group includes Sr MaryAnne Francalanza fcJ (Faithful Companions of Jesus), Fr Seamus O’Neill (St Patrick’s Missionary Society), Br Stephen Power SJ (Jesuits in Britain), and Bokani Tshidzu (Operation Noah).

Going Deeper: A Series of Workshops – Interculturality • Eco Theology • AI

We are pleased to share details of Going Deeper, a three-part workshop series hosted at the FCJ Centre for Spirituality and EcoJustice in London during 2026.

This series offers space for reflection, dialogue and learning around three significant themes shaping religious life and mission today: intercultural living, ecotheology, and the ethical and spiritual challenges of artificial intelligence. Each day combines input from experienced facilitators with opportunities for discussion and shared reflection.