Theme: Why Leo?
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.) This year we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first Thinking Faith week.
The week will explore the background of Pope Leo XIV and his choice of name. Topics will include St Augustine’s Rule, the Augustinian Friars, missionary life in Peru, Pope Leo the Great, Pope Leo XIII and Rerum Novarum, and reflections on the current technological revolution. Guest speakers will include Fr Ian Wilson OSA, an Augustinian friar who is the Prior General’s Assistant for Northern Europe (pictured above with Pope Leo).
The summer residential week will be open to Catholics in their 20s to 40s (ish)
Details of timetable
Talks and Discussions
St Augustine’s life in pictures (Sr Margaret)
Some Augustinian themes (Sr Margaret)
The Rule of St Augustine (Fr Richard)
Passages from Augustine (Groups)
Leo XIII and Rerum Novarum (Fr Richard)
AI and the Technological Revolution (Group)
Missionary life in Peru (Fr Gerry Hanlon)
The Augustinian Friars (Fr Ian Wilson OSA)
Reading Catholic Social Teaching (Group)
New things in 2025? (Sr Margaret and Group)
Social Activities
Leo Quiz
Film night: Paddington in Peru
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.
For a report on last year’s week, see here.
The week is led by:
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- 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.
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- 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.
- 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.
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
