International Summer School for Young Catholics

I'm delighted to post the following advert for the International Summer School for Young Catholics, founded by the late David Foster. As a former student I warmly recommend it:

INSTAURARE OMNIA IN CHRISTO
Restore All Things in Christ

July 25th – August 1st 2009

at the Oratory Preparatory School, near Reading

After the sad death of David Foster in late December, Dominic Sullivan, Sr. Valerie Walker O.P. and Susanna Ward intend to continue the International Summer School which he started in 1982. David had a high ideal of what a Catholic school should be, insisting that it must not simply impart religious doctrine as an isolated subject, but that supernatural revelation should inform the whole of its syllabus and life. Although only a week long, his summer school tried to cover a wide range of knowledge within a Catholic framework, and to demonstrate that modern culture both derives from Catholic roots and yet denies them.

The course is not a retreat, although there is Holy Mass and Rosary every day, and lessons on religious doctrine and spiritual subjects form part of the curriculum. There are also opportunities for swimming, sport and other activities in the beautiful setting of the Oratory Preparatory School. On most evenings there is a visiting speaker.

The course is open to young people between the ages of 13 - 19. The cost will be £220. For further information about application, please contact the Course Director by March 31st 2009.

Enquiries to:
Course Director
Dominic Sullivan
Tel: 0208 788 8659
Email: dsullivan@los.ac

Know Popery 2008

Last year the parish priest of Lewes started an annual lecture with the striking title 'Know Popery,' to counter the infamous pope-burning celebrations held in the Sussex town on 5 November.

This year Fr Richard Whinder is talking on 'Bishop Richard Challoner: From Lewes to London' - in honour of the great writer and Vicar Apostolic of the London District who was born at Chiddingly, seven miles outside Lewes, on 29 September 1691. He was the only son of Richard Challoner, a wine cooper and ‘a rigid Dissenter’, and his wife Grace Willard. The future bishop was baptised as an Anglican and only fully encountered the Catholic Faith after his father’s death, when Mrs Challoner gained employment in the household of a local recusant landowner, Sir John Gage, at Firle.

The 'Know Popery' lecture takes place tonight (6 November) in St Pancras Church, Irelands Lane, Lewes at 8pm (with Benediction at 7.45).

Towards Advent

Just to reminder you that the 'Towards Advent' Festival is this Saturday (8th November) at Westminster Cathedral Hall. Doors open from 10am and at 10.30 His Eminence will officially open proceedings, with the help of the choir of La Retraite School, Clapham Park.

There are two speakers: first, at 11 am, is Aidan Nichols, OP, who is talking on the Conversion of England. He is followed at 12.30pm by the Roman Miscellenist and I'll be looking at the Westminster Cardinals (of the past rather than the future!). Tickets for these talks are available on the day, priced (I think) at £3.

At 3pm Jeremy de Satge will lead a Workshop on Gregorian Chant. All day there are displays by Catholic groups and organisations and stalls selling books, DVDs, Christmas gifts, etc. Joanna Bogle will also be leading tours of the Cathedral.

It's a fun and inspiring day - especially since it gives an insight into all the good things happening in the English Catholic Church. So do come along!

Adrian Fortescue Exhibition

At St Edmund's there is a memorial window to the liturgist, Adrian Fortescue, who was Professor of Church History at the College between 1919 and his death in 1923.
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It reminded me of an exhibition that recently opened at First Garden City Heritage Museum (296 Norton Way South, Letchworth - tel: 01462 482710): 'The Church of St Hugh of Lincoln & Adrian Fortescue'. It runs until 12th January 2008 and is open Monday to Saturday, 10-5.

According to the website:

Explore the history of this fascinating Garden City church and find out all about one of its founding fathers, the internationally acclaimed scholar, writer and preacher, Father Adrian Fortescue. Featuring rare and significant objects that reveal the story behind the man and his achievements.

I'm sure many readers will be interested in this.

Heresy of Formlessness

I've been asked to advertise the presentation of the English version of Martin Mosebach's book, Heresy of Formlessness, at 6.30pm in St Wilfrid's Hall (London Oratory) on 7 December.

Martin Mosebach, who will be present, is a well-known and award-winning German author who has published novels, stories, and collections of poems; he has also written scripts for several films, opera libretti, theatre, and radio plays. He is a regular contributor to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and also writes on art and literature for other newspapers and journals (like the New York Times). Most recently, Mosebach has been awarded the Großer Literaturpreis der Bayerischen Akademie der Schönen Künste.

Heresy of Formlessness is a collection of essays on the liturgy and its recent reform not from the perspective of a theologian, but from the perspective of a literary writer. The book helped a lot to bring the debate on the liturgy into a wider public in Germany and an extract can be read here.

Like all good book launches it will be preceded by Solemn First Vespers of the Immaculate Conception in the Oratory church. All are welcome.

Talk on the Church in Pakistan

The next London Faith Forum talk sounds interesting given the present time - it's by John Pontifex of that excellent Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need, and is entitled 'Pakistan: Can the Church survive the threat of Fundamentalist Islam?' It takes place at St Vincent's Centre, Carlisle Place, near Westminster Cathedral, on Tuesday 10th October at 7pm.