“As they go through the Bitter Valley they make it a place of springs, the autumn rain covers it with blessings. They walk with evergrowing strength, they will see the God of gods in Sion”.
– Psalm 83 as in the Brievary
As the seminary’s enrichment curriculum continues, the seminarians spend time learning and growing in Spiritual, Pastoral, Human, and Intellectual Formation:
On Monday, Rev Fr David Barrett, Allen Hall’s very own Human Formator, led a talk about the 12 steps and the inseparability of God in the life of an addict seeking a new way of life. He touched on the spirituality of the practices that AA employs for its members.
In the afternoon, the Community gathered to watch ‘The Shoes of the Fisherman’. Last year, the seminary watched ‘A Man for All Seasons’, and so the ecclesial theme continues. The seminarians have also been working on a short film depicting the life of Allen Hall Seminary, so look forward to when that is released.
On Tuesday, the Community welcomed the Benefactors of Allen Hall for Vespers, a tour of the Seminary led by resident seminarians, and a BBQ in the seminary gardens. This was the first time that an event of this nature had taken place, as this year has featured multiple occasions for the public to see and pray with the Seminary Community.
On Wednesday, Barry and Margaret Mizen came to talk about their experiences of and following the death of their son Jimmy Mizen. They are the founders of the Mizen Foundation and have been giving talks in schools throughout the UK, featured on News coverage, and have appeared on multiple media platforms. However, this was the first time they’ve addressed a group of seminarians. The pair promoted a message of Faith, Peace, and Hope, revealing insights into their almost 20-year-long journey with God and the path of forgiveness.
Afterwards, the Community were given a lecture on Artificial Intelligence in the world alongside the practical, ethical, and spiritual concerns involved with it.
In the evening, the Legionaries of Mary addressed the Community before Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the Community Event Night.
On Thursday, the seminarians were trained by Nikil Dally, founder of the Stepping Notes Music School, in the art of Choir-ing. Covering a range of Musical Traditions, the Community were informed about the creative power and unity, unique to music, with Eastern, Western, and Middle English hymns creating a symphony.
Stay updated on Allen Hall news by subscribing to our alerts and check out our Flickr for more image content by clicking below.