No plans for the August Bank Holiday Weekend? It’s not too late to book your place for the Walsingham Festival 2019! (Subsidised places available for 1st timers). Taking place from Thursday 22nd – Monday 26th August 2019 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham, Norfolk.

Have you ever asked the big questions: “Is there more to life than this?” or “Does God really care about me?” This is the start of the journey to hope! This year’s Walsingham Summer Festival is an opportunity to discover a Person to hope in – Jesus Christ – who is faithful to his promise that he will be with us until the end.

Please visit www.walsinghamfestival.org for more information and to book your place.

St John’s Seminary in Guildford have created a short film to show the life of seminarians, men studying for the priesthood. Please watch and share this beautifully captured documentary: https://bit.ly/2SCvPzJ

Also of interest is this piece of music written by one of the seminarians, sung by the Seminary Schola: https://bit.ly/2YjRgXA

Congratulations and prayers for Fr Owen Gallagher, the newest priest of the Diocese of Shrewsbury, who was ordained on Saturday 13th July at the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Woodchurch, the Wirral, by Bishop Mark Davies. May the Lord bless Fr Owen in his ministry!

If you are considering the priesthood and live in Shrewsbury Diocese, Bishop Mark warmly invites you to take part in a discernment year at Shrewsbury Cathedral. Please click here to watch an informative short film about the year.

St Mary’s College, Oscott was filled with joy on Saturday 29th June as eleven new deacons were appointed. His Grace, Archbishop Bernard Longley, led the Diaconate Ordinations in front of the deacons’ family, friends and supporters in a packed chapel.

The new deacons represent dioceses across the UK. Let us pray for the deacons, and that the Lord will continue to send labourers to the harvest. Please visit www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/news to read about some of the men who were ordained.

Three deacons who studied in Rome at the Venerable English College stand on the threshold of the priesthood after seven years of formation. It’s a long journey with many twists and turns but in this conversation, John Waters interviews fellow priests-to-be Ryan Service and Marco Egawhary in this video as they prepare for a July Ordination to serve the people of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

WYD@Home was celebrated at Alton Castle from 7th June and closed on 9th June – Pentecost Sunday. We were many young people, priests, bishops and religious who came together in fraternity to be renewed in the Holy Spirit, and reflect on themes taken up at World Youth Day in Panama 2019. It was an excellent opportunity to share and witness to our faith and joy in the Lord.