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Summer Study Week

Running since 2014, the main event of our year is the study week, which takes place each summer in July. Entitled ‘A Vision for Life’, its aim is to offer a systematic overview of Catholic theology for young adults and university students, especially for those seeking to make sense of theology and integrate it into a sustainable vision of Catholic life. It is taught by a team of Dominican friars and sisters, and there are two streams each year: the first stream offers an introductory course and the second stream a rotating set of complementary topics for those returning in subsequent years.

The first stream follows the structure of St Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae. Often there are words and theological ideas we hear at Mass and perhaps loosely understand, but it’s not quite clear how they all fit together or relate to daily life. The first stream aims to help you see the big picture and dive deeper into the great mystery of God’s plan for our salvation. The first part: ‘God and Creation’, will include talks on the Trinity, God and Creation, and the Human Person. The second part: ‘Journeying to God’, will examine Law, Grace, and the Cardinal and Theological virtues. The third part: ‘Christ our way’, will include talks on Incarnation and Redemption, and the Church and the Sacraments.

The second stream takes a different theme each year, complementing and building on what was covered in the first stream. Sometimes a topic from the first stream is covered in greater depth, such as the Sacraments, Christology, or the Virtues. We also look at different areas in theology, such as Sacred Scripture, or the spiritual life.

The study week has been hosted at various places, including Buckfast Abbey in Devon and Douai Abbey outside Reading. It always involves a mixture of talks, workshops, and discussions, as well Mass and the Divine Office, time for personal prayer, walks, and social time with other young Catholics.

In 2025 the study week will be held at Worth Abbey in Sussex. The first stream will cover the usual programme following St Thomas’s Summa Theologiae, and the second stream will be looking at the Catholic study of Sacred Scripture.