More from Youth Retreat in Derby

I have already posted about the recent Young Adults' Retreat in our diocese. Today I came upon this account from a participant at the retreat. Well worth reading.

Planning ahead

November, the month of the Holy Souls, confronts us, sometimes uncomfortably, with our own mortality. Like most priests, I have occasionally been saddened when non-practising relatives of faithful Catholics have arranged funeral rites for their loved ones which do not reflect the faith of the one who has died. This is rarely, if ever done, from any bad will. Rather it is a result of not knowing what is appropriate, or being uncertain what their loved one would have wanted.

We can help those who are left by leaving clear written instructions which reflect our Christian faith and hope. Cardinal Vincent Nichols has provided this simple but comprehensive pro forma to help us do this. I commend this important, if challenging, exercise to you at this appropriate time of year.

New academies in Nottingham Diocese

From autumn 2018 all the Catholic schools in Nottingham Diocese will become academies. Each will be part of one of four multi-academy trusts. Leicestershire schools, including our own St Charles and De Lisle at Loughborough will become part of the St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi-Academy Trust. Blessed Robert Sutton will become part of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi-Academy Trust.

There will be much more about this in the coming months. Meanwhile, Blessed Robert Sutton have asked for these documents to be made available to parishioners:

• Letter to parents (From Blessed Robert Sutton)
• Academies FAQ (From the Diocesan Education Service)

Newsletter for 4/5 November - Sunday 31(A)

Click here to read the latest newsletter.

Recent Event in our Diocese

Recently Nottingham Diocese hosted a lovely retreat for young adults (16 - 35) in Derby. The retreat was organised by an organisation called Youth 2000. I have met a number of young people who have attended their events and have been impressed by what they have told me and how their faith has been enriched. Their retreats are very much centred around Eucharistic Adoration which has a profound effect on many young people. I would encourage our young adults to attend anything organised by Youth 2000 and will advertise any events I hear of.

Here are some pictures from Derby this last weekend.

Well worth watching/listening

I have been enjoying the BBC 4 series, Retreat: Meditations from a Monastery. If you missed the series you can catch up at these links:
Downside Abbey
Pluscarden Abbey
Belmont Abbey

BBC Radio 3 has produced a series to go alongside the TV programmes. Each programme is around 15 minutes. You can find episodes here.

These programmes are refreshingly different from the usual run of TV and radio. You will find long periods with few if any words. There is time, for once, to look, think, even pray..

Newsletter for 28/29 October - Sunday 30(A)

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Please note the arrangements for All Saints (Holyday of Obligation when we must all be at Mass) and All Souls (when we will all want to pray for our departed loved ones):