Online Talks, Courses & Retreats

Spiritual Direction Formation Programme 2023-2025

The Spiritual Direction Formation Programme (Carmelite Tradition) – which has been running since September 2019 – builds on an interpretation of the experience of journeying towards intimacy with God as expressed in the life of the Carmelite saints and deriving principles from this for the growth and flourishing of the spiritual life. The programme, therefore, has its foundation in the spirituality of the Carmelite tradition. At the heart of this spirituality is a prayerful listening and response to the God who befriends us and an expression of this experience through a life of contemplative awareness and friendship with one another.

The Programme is centred on journeying with others who seek to deepen and grow in their personal relationship with God. There are no set rules for this, and no single pathway, but a willingness to deepen one’s contemplative awareness and to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit who is ever calling us and working towards the greater fulfilment and wholeness of each person.

One does not need to be a Carmelite or even know much of Carmelite spirituality to be part of the Programme. All that is necessary is to have a heartfelt desire to draw from the rich tradition of Carmelite spirituality in deepening one’s own bond with God and to walk with others as they journey through life.

We offer courses and programmes, based mostly on Carmelite spirituality and its ancient tradition of prayer.

Online Talks

Join us to learn more about a range of subjects in the Christian Faith.

Weekly on Mondays, until 6th July

Fr Matt Blake will be giving live talks (not recorded), on ‘The Breath and Depth of Christian Prayer’  . He will give the talk twice, at 10am and repeated at 8pm.  Click the arrow in the video below to start to the live feed or click the green button to visit the website.

Saturday 6th June 2020   10.30 – 12.30

The Cave of the Heart: Christian Spirituality in a Time of Covid given by Professor Peter Tyler

On the 6th June we shall celebrate one of the most important, and mysterious, feasts of the Christian year: the Feast of the Holy Trinity. It comes as we begin to emerge from our long ‘Covid vigil’ that began in Lent. What can we learn from this doctrine for Christian contemplation ‘in a time of Covid’? We shall look at this question with two lectures investigating the nature of Christian contemplation from its earliest origins, its relation to Eastern techniques of prayer and lessons for our ongoing Christian (and Carmelite) life ‘in a time of Covid’.

To book a place for just, price just £20, please book here :-

Online Courses

The Living Prayer Course – a  Course in Contemplative Prayer & Living,   September 2020 – May 2021

This course teaches you contemplative prayer and how to practise contemplative living according to one’s own lifestyle.

The course will cover the following:

  • Deepening one’s experience of Silent Prayer, Lectio Divina, Contemplative Liturgy, Psalmody, Prayer Journaling, the ‘Gratitude Prayer’ and Spiritual Reading.

  • Nurturing the contemplative dimension of one’s lifestyle by exercising discernment, simplicity, forgiveness, integrity and commitment.
20202021

September 11-13

January 8-10

October 2-4

February 5-7

October 30 – November 1

March 5-7

December 4-6

April 9-11

 

April 30 – May 2

The School of Prayer Course, September 2020 – May 2021

The School of Prayer Course is for those who realise the importance of prayer in their lives and are seeking a deeper relationship with God and support and encouragement in their search. It is not intended as an academic programme; the course will be mainly experiential. Participants will be invited to take an active part in spiritual conversation, workshops and small group sharing. It will also include essential reading, intended as a framework and support for the ongoing process of prayer, reflection and growth. For participants, it will offer the opportunity to be nourished by the rich treasures of Christian prayer with particular reference to the Carmelite tradition – and at the same time to explore their own prayer journey and share this experience with others.

20202021

September 12

January 16

October 10

February 13

November 14

March 20

December 12

April 17

 

May 8

Online Retreats

Regular Retreats

We organise a number of retreats online, which can be done in your own time and in your own space.  Often the retreat includes, if you wish it, individual spiritual direction for 25 minutes each day, by Skype or Zoom, limited to a certain number of participants.   During these retreats we record a daily talk and meditation which you can watch live or you can watch the recording later in the day.  We send out daily sheets with reflections, scripture, prayers and questions on which to ponder.  We prepare these carefully in advance, praying as we do so.  Our daily Mass and times of praying the Office are also on our Youtube channel.

We usually run these online retreats during Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Advent and Christmas.

These retreats are suitable for a range of people, at varying stages of their faith journey, and we encourage those who haven’t been on an online retreat before to come and try it

For more information and dates of these retreats, please check our Online Calendar.

Incoming Retreats

Pentecost Retreat 23 – 31st May 2020

Individual Retreats

We also organise individual retreats, during certain months of the year, which include daily spiritual direction, by Skype or Zoom.  Please contact us for more details.

Custom-designed retreats

We can design an online retreat for a parish, a group or a diocese.  Please contact us with your requirements and we can discuss creating a retreat, of any length, suitable for your participants.