Adult Formation

If you are curious about the Bible, ‘The God Who Speaks’ is the place for you! Find out more on The God Who Speaks website.

Read ‘A Year with the Bible: 365 Daily Reflections’ by Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB.

Agape Catholic BIble Study is a free Catholic online resource for the study of Sacred Scripture offering:

  • In-depth Bible studies in the living tradition of the Catholic Church
  • Accessing ancient and contemporary commentaries
  • Historical and archaeological information
  • Catechism of the Catholic Church references
  • Faithful to the Magisterium

Bible Study Group We will begin a journey through the book of Hebrews this year, starting on Monday 16th January. As with most journeys there will be a main road, with many a side turning to go down to explore the landscapes we will be travelling through. High mountains with clear views, narrow winding tracks where the going will be slow and careful with surprises around every corner, thick wooded areas where it will be difficult to see the wood for the trees, clear open meadows where the way is open and progress is good, valleys of beauty and plenty to rest and feed our souls.
To start an expedition, you need the best guide and we will be led by the perfect guide, the Holy Spirit, who as promised, will guide us into all truth.

We meet in Compass House at 11.00am for coffee, aiming to start at 11.15am and finish by 12.30pm. If you would like to join in this journey please email Jenny Chapman jenny_chapman@sky.com

The Catechism in a Year

In Ascension’s The Catechism in a Year podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz guides you through the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 episodes, providing explanation, insight, and encouragement along the way.

Unlike any other Catechism podcast, The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) podcast follows a reading plan inspired by Ascension’s Foundations of Faith approach, a color-coded approach that reveals the structure of the Catechism, making it easier to read and understand. With this podcast, you’ll finally understand what it means to be Catholic and how the beliefs of the Catholic Faith come together.

Listen and… Read the ENTIRE Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 days. Understand the essentials of the Catholic Faith and why they matter. Understand how Church teaching is rooted in Sacred Scripture. Absorb over 2,000 years of Sacred Tradition. Encounter God’s plan of sheer goodness for your life.

Each 15-20 minute episode includes: A guided prayer to help you enter into each episode. A reading from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. An explanation from Fr. Mike Schmitz about the reading.

Lectio Divina is a form of prayer which invites us into a deeper encounter with the Lord through Scripture. It gives us the time to listen attentively to the Word, to be sensitive to its action on our hearts, and to reflect on what is being asked of us in our daily lives.

Material to help you practice Lectio Divina:

Private Lectio Divina 

Lectio Divina: a short guide to praying with the Scriptures produced by the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton.

Lectio 365 is a daily devotional resource that helps you pray the Bible every day. Download on App Store (Apple) or on Play Store (Android).

Lectio Divina as a Spiritual Practice

Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies

The qualification is ideally suited to catechists, teachers, readers, extra-ordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, governors, parents and grandparents, in fact, anyone and everyone interested in sharing or discovering more about their faith. For more information contact jon.harman@abdiocese.org.uk

Durham University and the Centre for Catholic Studies have launched a new distance learning MA in Catholic Theology, designed for those looking to continue their academic and theological journey.

The programme provides a unique opportunity for students from different parts of the globe and in a wide variety of life situations to study at one of the world’s leading theology departments; the Department of Theology and Religion recently placed 7th in the 2022 QS World University Rankings by subject, also making it Durham University’s highest ranked department.

The MA course is part of a commitment to making high quality academic study of Catholic theology accessible to students with caring or work commitments, other constraints on their timetable or in different time zones. You can find out more here.