Thinking Faith: Mary – 1st-8th August 2026

Theme: Mary, Mother of God and of the Church

Time out for working Catholics.

 

Do you want a holiday? And a retreat? And stimulating conversation? And some fun? With only one week to spare? Thinking Faith offers a rich mix of social activity, prayer and discussion, hosted in our comfortable Guest House and beautiful grounds, on the doorstep of the Lake District. (There will be the opportunity for one long walk during the week.) 

 

The week will explore the theology, art, music and devotion linked to Our Lady.  

 

Guest speakers will be Sr Teresina Holland of the Boarbank Community and Lucy Matheson, singer and Librarian of Lincoln College, Oxford. 

 

The summer residential week will be open to Catholics in their 20s to (roughly!) 40s 

Details of timetable 

Topics will include:

* Cana, Lourdes, Fatima

* Praying the Rosary

* Our Lady in Lumen Gentium 

* The Music of Mary

* Our Lady in Art

 

Social Activities

Film night: The Miracle Club

Buffet and social evening

Craft evening

Visit to local teashop!

 

Walks and visits

Cartmel and Cartmel Priory

Walk to Humphrey Head for Night Prayer

Full day and half day trips in the Lakes or Dales

Option of long walk for good walkers

Time available for local walks and gardening

 

Prayers

Daily Mass

Morning Prayer with the Group

Sung Evening and Night Prayer with the Sisters

 

What is Thinking Faith?

We are a group of professional Catholics who meet together on zoom and live retreats hosted by Sr Margaret Atkins, and Augustinian Sister at Boarbank Hall, Cumbria and Fr Richard Finn, a Dominican at Blackfriars, Oxford (and at times other Dominicans). 

 

Our Thinking Faith summer weeks began for Catholic students and young professionals nearly 20 years ago. They have grown and developed into something that provides for that ‘post-youth’ group who are trying to live out their Catholic faith in responsible positions at work and also perhaps in their families. At the same time, a regular core of participants has developed, who meet at Boarbank for the residential summer week and keep in touch with zoom retreats in between.

 

We will also be joined by members of the community at Boarbank, whose warm hospitality makes Thinking Faith possible.

 

The week is led by:

    • Sr Margaret Atkins taught for ten years at Trinity and All Saints College in Leeds before joining the Boarbank Community in 2005. She is interested in philosophy, ethics and environmental issues and is a translator and writer. Recently she spent some months on the staff of the English College in Rome.

    • Fr Richard Finn OP is a Dominican friar at Blackfriars, Oxford, where he teaches the history of early Christianity and runs the Las Casas Institute for Social Justice.
      He is the Thinking Faith chaplain.

Prayer & Liturgy

Daily Mass, Morning, Evening and Night Prayer from the Prayer of the Church. Opportunities for quiet reflection.

 

Zoom Weekend Retreats

You might also like to join in our Zoom weekend retreats  (evenings only) in Advent and Lent.

 

For further information please contact SR MARGARET