JULY 2026 Newsletter from Arundel & Brighton NBCW Diocesan Link
The strength to persevere, the courage to speak out, the
faith to believe.' Sr Joan Chittister OSB
Welcome to this edition of my web newsletter July 2026
written as we experience a red alert
weather warning in most of our diocese. It can be hard to feel motivated when
it is so hot, so much easier just to switch off and park religion until the
rain comes. But that is not what St Benedict would say. Whatever else you give
up, continue to pray ….and pray!
Why am I
mentioning St Benedict, because 2 series of events are from Benedictine communities:
lay and monastic. With the feast of St Benedict coming in July you will see
details, and full press release for the
Lay Community of St Benedict ‘LCSB’ AWAKEN! Study days. Showing that
Benedictine communities are focused on formation for lay faithful as well as
clergy and religious, there is a varied programme of talks and events not only
from LCSB, but from our friends at Chilworth Abbey, so do please browse what is
on offer.
I have
my order in to Abe books for a copy of St Benedict’s Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday
Benedictine Living by Jane Tomaine. That is what is nice about summer: being
able to dip into something that you just
don’t have time for the rest of the year. I hope you find something of interest
in this blog and if so, please do share the
blog.
Well,
that’s it now until September.
Wishing
you all a peaceful and joyous time.
Sue Petritz
Diocesan Link for Arundel & Brighton
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The
Benedictine monastery of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth near Guildford has
announced a varied programme of public talks for the second half of 2026,
exploring faith, literature and technological innovation.
The
programme begins on Saturday 27 June 2026 with Discover
the meaning of the Roman Catholic Mass, a seven part series led by Fr
John Seddon OSB. Running monthly through to December, the talks will
explore the meaning and symbolism of the Mass. Sessions take place from 10.30am–12.20pm on
27 June, 25 July, 29 August, 26 September, 31 October, 21 November and 19
December. Tickets are £12 plus booking fee.
On Friday
18 September 2026 (7.30pm–9pm), The Laurel and the lantern: A
reflective journey through Britain's Poets Laureate will be presented
by Rt Rev Dom Paulinus Greenwood OSB, Dr Jo Russell and Sheila Longman.
The evening explores the lives and works of Britain's Poets Laureate from
Wordsworth and Tennyson to Carol Ann Duffy and Simon Armitage. Tickets
are £12 Early Bird until 4 September, £15 thereafter, with groups
of three able to attend for £10 per person.
The final
event, The remarkable story of R.R. Beard: Inventor of cinema lighting,
takes place on Saturday 17 October 2026 from 10.30am–12 noon.
Presented by Evan Venn, retired Chief Technologist of Hewlett
Packard, the talk reveals the story of the Surrey pioneer whose inventions
helped shape the early film industry. Tickets are £10 Early Bird,
rising to £12 thereafter, plus booking fee.
All events take place at St Augustine’s Abbey,
Chilworth, near Guildford. Advance booking is essential via www.chilworthbenedictines.com or
by searching "Chilworth Abbey" on TicketSource. Free
parking is available.
Catholic Women Walking with Women: A Faith Journey Through
Life’s Seasons is a
year-long webinar series designed to meet women where they truly are, in the
real circumstances and rhythms of life, and to explore how God walks with us in
every season.
Please join us on Monday 30th June at 7pm as we speak
to Pat Gaffney as she speaks on:
- Spiritual
and emotional preparation for retirement
- Discerning
new opportunities for service and mission
- Deepening
personal faith in this new stage of life
Join us on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82962690627?pwd=EB6Te5k0PvIava9oWVbadB0V3FH4WX.1
Meeting ID: 829 6269 0627
Passcode: 473262
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St Benedict Week and AWAKEN! Study Days: Exploring a
Rule of Life for Today
Event details
●
Event: St Benedict Week and AWAKEN! Study
Days
●
Theme: Rule of Life
●
Dates: 6-19 July
●
Study Days: In person, Norwich (linked to
the exhibition)
●
Online programme: Talks, reflections,
blogs, and Daily Offices
●
Audience: Open to lay people, clergy, and
religious
●
Further information and to book: St
Benedict Week 2026
The Lay Community of St Benedict invites parishes,
monasteries, and Christian communities to take part in St Benedict Week and
the AWAKEN! Study Days, a period of prayer, study, and reflection centred
on the theme “Rule of Life.”
Held from 6-19 July, around the feast day of St
Benedict, St Benedict Week offers lay people, religious, and clergy an
opportunity to reflect on the Rule of St Benedict as a living guide for
Christian discipleship today. Shaped by a Benedictine rhythm, the week includes
a call to prayer through the daily Offices at which all are welcome,
inviting participants to ground their reflection in the worshipping life of the
Church.
The AWAKEN! Study Days form a central part of St
Benedict Week and are held in person. They take place alongside an exhibition
in Norwich that explores the Rule of St Benedict through text, image, and
contemporary interpretation, offering visitors a visual and reflective
encounter with Benedictine spirituality. Across the two Study Days,
participants are invited to extended talks, shared reflection, and prayer,
making connections between the exhibition and the lived practice of a Rule of
Life. The booking deadline is 26th June. https://www.lcsb.uk/st-benedict-week
Speaking about the event, Adam Simon, leader of
the Lay Community of St Benedict, said:
“The exhibition in Norwich and study days offer a tangible way into the Rule
of St Benedict, while the online talks, and daily Offices during St Benedict
Week invite people everywhere to take part. Together they offer a chance for
lay people to reflect on how a Rule of Life might take shape in everyday
living. All are welcome.”
In addition, a programme of online talks, written
reflections, and blogs will be shared throughout the week, enabling people
to participate wherever they are. Rooted in the theme Rule of Life,
these resources explore how Benedictine wisdom offers a framework for prayer,
work, rest, hospitality, and community in everyday living. They are designed to
complement the in-person Study Days, while also standing alone as a
resource for individuals, parishes, and religious houses.
Talks are as follows:
• Benedict for beginners, 6
July at 8pm, Daisy Inglese, LCSB Discipleship Coordinator
• Benedict for basket cases,
12 July at 6pm, Fr Mark Patrick Hederman, monk and former
Abbot of Glenstal Abbey
• Benedict for becoming, 15
July at 8pm, Sr Josephine Parkinson, Novice Mistress, Stanbrook Abbey
Churches, monasteries, and Christian publications are
warmly encouraged to share this invitation with their communities.
The Lay Community of St Benedict supports lay people
who are drawn to the Benedictine way and wish to live it authentically in their
homes, workplaces, and church communities. St Benedict Week and AWAKEN! welcome
both those familiar with the Rule and those encountering Benedictine
spirituality for the first time.
For more information please contact:
Lucy Jardine
comms@lcsb.uk
Lay Community of St Benedict
“Listen carefully, my child, to the master’s
instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart.”
— Rule of St Benedict, Prologue
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|
Some resources for the Summer.
How do you set up a Bible Book Club in your parish or school? Take a look at our simple step-by-step guide. https://www.godwhospeaks.uk/bible-book-club-resource ________________________________________________________________ Curious about
Synodality and what it could mean for your parish. The School
for Synodality exists to support the Church’s synodal journey of openness to
the Holy Spirit through listening, sharing, and discernment. https://www.schoolforsynodality.org.uk/
_________________________________________________________________________________ Vatican News Newsletter <newsletter-en@ml.vn.va> to hear
about Pope Leo and what is happening in the universal church
|
Pope Leo presents 'Magnifica humanitas’ calling for
disarmament of AI
Pope Leo
XIV presents "Magnifica Humanitas" as the Church’s response to the
challenges posed by artificial intelligence, calling for AI to be “disarmed”
from logics of domination, exclusion and war. Drawing parallels with Rerum
Novarum, the Pope urges the global community to place technological progress at
the service of human dignity, solidarity and the common good.
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I could do with some help for this blog and the monthly newsletter if anyone has a couple of hours a month to spare nbcw@abdiocese.org.uk
July 2026 Web Newsletter
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