Spirituality Resources
Among the roles of the Spirituality Committee of the Department for Christian Life and Worship is the gathering of information and dissemination of good practice. The webpage draws together material from Conferences, useful Resources and Links to other websites.
Position Paper
The Spirituality Committee presented a Position Paper to the Bishops' Conference in November 2009. It provided a picture of the Spirituality in the Catholic Church in England and Wales drawn from the experience and reflection of the Committee. It made a number of recommendations including the development of a teaching document which was accepted by the bishops.
- Spirituality Committee Position Paper — November 2009 (pdf)
Conferences
Each year the Spirituality Committee organises a day conference to bring together those who support the development of spirituality in dioceses.
2007
The 2007 Day Conference addressed the topic ‘Contemporary Catholicism: Religion v Spirituality’. The Day began with an excellent Paper entitled ‘Painting the Landscape’ which opened up the differing manifestations of spiritual need and searching in today’s culture. Prior to subsequent discussion, the participants were invited to pen, briefly and spontaneously, their understanding of spirituality. Samples given below point to the challenging exchange of views and different emphases which characterised the worthwhile nature of the day.
Spirituality — some views
- A journey within to the real you. A journey towards others to find the real ‘them’. A journey together towards God who is love who created all of us.
- That awareness of God, through a developing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ, in the reality of my everyday life.
- Just as each day we open our eyes to the natural world around us, spirituality is an opening of the heart, the inner self, to a world beyond nature. And in the business of life, even with eyes, we miss so much – so too we can miss so much of the world God offers to us as He calls the eyes of the soul to behold Him and enter into a passionate affair – that is why it is a life-long relationship – because each day brings new discoveries, new possibilities.
- That as a human being, I am created by God out of love and for love. At the core of my being – my deepest self lies the potential for goodness / wholeness. This is my relationship with God which enables me to see the holy / sacred in all of life.
- Honest engagement with questions. Trusting that life has value. Allying with the good. Enjoying diversity. Celebrating together. Not harming peace. Refashioning integrity. Surrendering to union. Sharing story.
- Spirituality is my purposeful and conscious journey to explore the deepest questions of who I am, why I am here and where I am going, a journey which, for me, means encountering a God who created me in love and reveals himself to me in others and in the person of Jesus Christ.
Keynote
Recognising a Divide? — 'Painting a Landscape' (pdf) — Sr Diane Reynolds RSA
2009
Keynote
Taking the Incarnation Seriously (pdf) — David O'Malley SDB
Resources
- Imagination is the Key
- A prayer by Thomas Merton
- What are the qualities of a ‘good’ Spiritual Director? by Diane Reynolds RSA
