PRE-PENTECOST STUDY DAYS

VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING
9.30am – 4:00pm

1.  Justification and Salvation – Catholic Teaching & Non-Catholic Views
Wednesday 13th May

We often hear the words justification and salvation.  But what do these words mean, and are they really important for our Catholic faith?  Our non-Catholic friends sometmes tell us that we can be saved by faith alone.  Is that true?  What about works?  In ths Year of the Word, the Academy of the Annunciation invites you to explore what the Bible has to say about justification and salvation.  Come and discover the underlying reasons for the differences between Catholic teaching and non-Catholic views by examining the Scriptural foundations of the Catholic teaching on these questions.

2.  St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans
Saturday 16th May

Very often, at Sunday Mass, the second reading is from one of the Epistles of St Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, and the author of the majority of the books of the New Testament.  In this Study Day, we will explore St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, the longest of his New Testament writings.  Come and discover the rich theological themes contained in this letter, and see how the teaching of St Paul applies to your own life and discipleship.

3.   The Person of the Holy Spirit
Wednesday 20th May

What is the Holy Spirit?  Is it a force?  Is it a cloud?  Is it a fire?  Is it a dove?  In preparation for the great Solemnity of Pentecost, this Study Day will consider some of the key New Testament passages that can help us to answer this question.  We will see why the Church teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person, and why He is called the Lord and Giver of Life in the Creed which we recite every Sunday.

4.   The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Saturday 23rd May

What are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit?  Are they just for charismatics?  Do we need them for salvation?  How do the gifts of the Holy Spirit help us in our everyday life?  What does the operation of these gifts look like in the life of a disciple?  Pope St Gregory the Great, Apostle of England – one of the Patrons of the Academy of the Annunciation – has written concerning the sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit: “By the sevenfold grace of the Spirit, there opens to us at the end of the ascent the entrance to the life of Heaven.”  As we prepare for the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Academy of the Annunciation invites you to come and discover the power, the grace, and the beauty of the sevenfold gift of the Spirit!

5.   The Trinity of Persons in the One God
Wednesday 27th May

One week after the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday.  Every time we pray, we make the Sign of the Cross and invoke the name of the Trinity.  What do we mean when we invoke these names?  Do we believe in three gods or one God?  What do we mean by “Trinity of Persons”?  Come and explore these and other questions about this deepest mystery of who God is!

6.   The Blessed Virgin – Mother of the Church & Our Mother
Saturday 30th May

Quoting the great St Augustine of Hippo, the Second Vatican Council declares the Blessed Virgin Mary “the mother of the members of Christ …. having cooperated by charity that faithful might be born in the Church, who are members of that Head.”  Is Mary a member of the Church or Mother of the Church?  In this Year of the Word, come and explore the Scriptural foundations which point to Mary as Mother of the Church and our Mother.

MORE ABOUT AoA STUDY DAYS

The Structure of the Study Day

Each Study Day runs from 9.30am to 4pm.  There are two sessions (and a break) in the morning;  Angelus and Mass can be experienced via live-stream on the Oratory website.  There is a break for lunch during which participants can join the group to have conversations with each other and with a staff member.  In the afternoon, there are three sessions (with breaks between each session).

How it works

Once you have registered, you will receive a series of emails on the evening before the Study Day.  The first email will inlcude a timetable for the Study Day and other important information.  The other emails will contain a link for each session.

On the Study Day, there is an optional test meeting at 9.00am – for anyone who wishes to practice clicking the link and making sure they can see and hear without any problems.  Then, we begin at 9.30am with the first session.  To “enter the meeting room”, you simply click the link in your email, follow the directions, and you are in!  There is no need for any app or advanced computer or technical skill.

Real-time Interactive Partcipation

Once you are in the “meeting room”, you can see and hear everything.  To ask questions, or participate in the discussion, you simply un-mute your microphone (or you can opt just to listen).  We prefer everyone’s web-cam to be turned on, so that we’re all visible to each other, but you can opt to turn off your web-cam.  You can ask questions, contribute to the discussion and particpate just as you would if your were onsite – all from the comfort of your home!

The Cost and the 6 for 5 Discount

Each Study Day (9.30am to 4pm) costs only £25 per person, and there’s a 6 for 5 discount – You can sign up for 6 Study Days for the price of 5;  or 6 people can be signed up at once with a payment for 5.

Join Us Now!

The Academy of the Annunciation wants to help Catholics and enquirers to stay better connected by offering live lectures (via video conference) with inter-active discussion and real-time participation, all from the comfort of your home!

As the Easter Season continues and we prepare for the Solemnity of Pentecost, these Study Days give us opportunities to discuss our Catholic Faith, and are perfect occasions to connect with other Catholics – perhaps over a glass of wine in the afternoon! [Provide your own wine or beverage of choice in your lock-down.]

Come and join us!  We look forward to seeing you and hearing from you in our virutal meeting room.