Retreats and Trips

• Ampleforth
• Corrymeela
• Iona
• Mirfield
• Taizé

Over the last few years groups from the University have made trips to ecumenical Christian communities in Corrymeela in Northern Ireland; Iona on the west coast of Scotland; Walsingham and last year we went to Rome.

In 2009, we hope took an ecumenical group of students to the Camas Center on Mull. In 2010 we took a similar group to Trosly in Northern France where we had the great fortune to have some input from Jean Vanier. In 2011 we travelled north on pilgrimage to visit sights associated with the Northern Saints and stayed with the Anglican Franciscan Friars at Alnmouth.

Plans are well underway for 2012 - watch this space for details

Traditionally we also run an annual retreat to the community houses in Mirield, and most of the societies host various weekends away and retreats in the course of the year. Contact one of us for further details.

Ampleforth

Ampleforth Abbey is home to a Christian community of Benedictine monks, in the north of Yorkshire. The Catholic student society runs a weekend retreat here in the spring term. This weekend is normally led by one of the monks from the abbey and is fairly informal with plenty of time for discussion. Whilst there, people are free to follow the prayer routine of the monks — involving six services a day — but this is optional! The weekend provides a chance to reflect, relax and re-focus in a different environment away from the pressures of life on campus.

You can find out more about Ampleforth Abbey by visiting the web site at www.ampleforth.org.uk.

Corrymeela

Corrymeela is a community of reconciliation situated on the Antrim Coast in the north of Ireland. They work with groups from all parts of the community in the province, promoting reconciliation and mutual understanding. Chaplaincy trips here are usually less structured than on Iona with the group having more input into the programme. In the past this has included discussions with politicians, visiting Stormont and meeting other organisations involved in peace and reconciliation. There’s also plenty of time to do the more touristy things ,like visiting the Giants Causeway and sitting in a pub drinking Guiness!

For more information, visit the community’s website at www.corrymeela.org.uk.

Iona

Iona is the small island off the west coast of Scotland where St Columba settled after leaving Ireland, establishing a Celtic monastery in the 6th Century. Today, there are two centres on the island — the Abbey and the MacLeod centre. These are run by staff on behalf of the Iona Community. Groups and individuals can spend a week here living and working in community, following the old Celtic tradition of work and worship being two sides of the same coin. The programme includes daily worship in the Abbey, sessions and workshops following the week’s theme and a Pilgrimage around the island. There is also lots of free time for enjoying the surroundings (and maybe a wee dram …).

For more information about Iona, visit the community’s website at www.iona.org.uk.

Mirfield

Mirfield is a retreat house run by an Anglican Monastic Community. The Anglican/Methodist chaplaincy runs a weekend of silent retreat here on the 15th–17th February.

The atmosphere of a retreat house is completely different to anything experienced at university. Mirfield is only an hour’s drive away from York, but it feels like a different world. How you spend your time over the weekend is largely up to you. There are sessions, guided by the retreat leader, on how to use your time in prayer or meditation. Visitors also join with the Community for the services of Matins, Holy Communion, Evensong and Compline, as well as for meals. The first and last meals of the weekend are “talking” meals where there is an opportunity to get to know the members of the community. However, the rest of the weekend is generally spent in silence.

A weekend on retreat at Mirfield offers a time set aside for prayer where nothing else need get in the way or demand attention. It is highly recommended by students who have experienced it and many go back throughout and beyond their time at university.

For more information see www.mirfield.org.uk.

Taizé

Taizé is an ecumenical Christian community in France. It welcomes people from around the world and invites them to enter into the rhythm of the community life; gathering for prayer with the brothers of the community, and joining with people from other countries for meetings, discussions and everday tasks. The church at Taizé and the community prayers — with much music and times of quiet — are very different from what people usually expect.

The Chaplaincy led a trip to Taizé in summer 2003, and would be keen to repeat the experience in the not-too-distant future! For more information on Taizé, see the community’s website at www.taize.fr.