Fr. John Hemer is a Mill Hill Missionary who has worked in several countries and now teaches at Allen Hall seminary.

A2: THE APOCALYPSE - The Final Act of God's Drama
Fr John Hemer MHM

The Apocalypse is no doubt the most misunderstood and misinterpreted book of the whole Bible. Many Christians therefore avoid it, others seize on it eagerly, looking for material to fuel their over-active and often none-too-charitable imaginations. It is not a series of predictions about the future as much as a powerful spiritual commentary on issues affecting the Church at its own time. While it does not try to foretell the future, when properly interpreted, it does speak eloquently to us today. The issues which affect our Church, especially here in the West have much in common with those which affected the churches to which John wrote. During the course we will try to explore some of those issues, and hopefully see just how fruitful this book can be when read with understanding and without hysteria.

Suggested reading:

Alison, J., Living in the End Times The last Things Re-imagined London 1996

Hahn, S. The Lamb’s Supper The Mass as Heaven on Earth New York 1999

Howard-Brook, W. & Gwyther, A., Unveiling Empire. Maryknoll 1999.

GROUP B COURSES

Participants choose one course from Group A and one from Group B

Sr. Helen Costigane teaches
Canon Law, Christian Ethics
and Pastoral Theology at
Heythrop College, University of London

B1: CONSCIENCE AND FILM
Sr Helen Costigane SHCJ

What do we mean by the word ‘conscience’?  What does it mean to say that I must follow conscience?  Why might I not always follow conscience? How is conscience formed,  informed and distorted?  What role does family, Church and society play in its formation?  Using film clips, these and other questions will be explored during this course.  Sessions will be interactive, with opportunities for discussion and questions.  No knowledge presupposed.

Suggested reading

Bretzke, James T, A Morally Complex World: Engaging Contemporary Moral Theology,  (Michael Glazier Inc, 2004), Chapter 4

Curran, Charles, Readings in Moral Theology No. 14,  (Paulist Press International, 2004)

Fagan, Sean Does Morality Change? (Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1997)          

Gula, Richard M. Reason Informed by Faith. (New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1989)

Lobo, George V. Guide to Christian Living: A New Compendium of Moral Theology. (Westminster, Maryland: Christian Classics, 1991)

Patrick, Anne E. Liberating Conscience: Feminist Explorations in Catholic Moral Theology. (London: SCM, 1996)

Fr. Peter Burrows is a biblical scholar trained at a Jewish seminary and at Harvard in the USA; he is also a psychotherapist.  He teaches at Allen Hall Seminary in London and has done lay education in the Church for over 50 years.  He has taught widely at universities, seminaries and institutes in the US and in the UK.

B2: THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE, SEXUALITY, THE FAMILY AND CHILDREN AND THE TEACHING OF SCRIPTURE
Fr Peter Burrows  

One of the principle social concerns in today’s society is marriage and the family and the issue of sexuality and children.  The closest relationship that we can have with another is a blood or genetic relationship.  A bond of blood is unbreakable, and no blood transfusion can ever change this bond.  Yet we know that two people related by blood cannot enter into a marriage and create children.  Human children require a long time to come to adulthood and require the presence of parents to achieve maturity.  How do we join two unrelated people in the permanent bond required for children?  The contract of marriage is such a permanent bond.

Clearly, human beings cannot be related to God by blood, for God is Spirit.  How does God permit of a permanent relationship with His people given the impossibility of a blood relationship?  This course will explore the scriptural account of covenants with God as marriage contracts.  We will explore the nature of promises, the requirements on both sides for fidelity, sin as marital cheating on God, the great marriage festival of Israel at Tabernacles, the Wedding Feast at Cana of Galilee, Easter as the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, baptism as creating children for God and many other scriptural indications that the whole business of marriage is the primary biblical theology underpinning creation and the life of the People of God.  To put it another way, why is the family the smallest unit of the Church; and why is sex godly?

Saturday 25th June 4:30pm

P1: THE BEAUTY OF CANON LAW
Sr Helen Costigane SHCJ

Sunday 26th June 4:30pm

P2: LEADERSHIP TODAY AND THE APOSTLES OF THE CHURCH
Fr Dominic Robinson SJ

Mgr. John Armitage is Vicar General of the Brentwood Diocese and Parish Priest of the Royal Docks. Having held various diocesan posts, and serving as Port Chaplain and Trustee for the Apostleship of the Sea, he is now responsible for the Catholic Church's engagement with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and chair of Trustees of Anchor House, a Catholic residential project helping homeless people to rebuild their lives.

Monday 27th June 2:30pm

P3: CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING: A Guide in troubled times
Mgr John Armitage

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