Course: Practising Lectio Divina

Practising Lectio Divina
September - 2016

What content is covered?

This Three-day Course provides: 

1- How Lectio Divina works (theory).

2- A guided practice of it.

3- Workshop (difficulties and challenges).

4- Questions and answers.

Listening to the Word of God and putting it into practice is known as Lectio Divina. It provides by far the most powerful boost to our Spiritual Life. "If [Lectio Divina] is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church - I am convinced of it - a new spiritual springtime." (Pope Benedict)

This course encourages us to draw closer to the Lord in a very real way through:

- practical advice on how to listen to Jesus with the support of graphic illustrations.

- guided and commented practice.

- learning to discern with greater certainty when it is Jesus who speaks and not us.

- understanding temptations to flee from the practice and learning to overcome them.

- workshops, questions and answers.

Despite considerable efforts to practise it, plus the variety of methods on offer, many faithful feel that they are unsuccessful in listening to the Lord, and are often unsure if it is He who has spoken. For Lectio Divina to succeed and be sustainable in the future, it has to be taught and the practicalities and difficulties dealt with through questions.

With the reform of the Lectionary by the Council of Vatican II, "easier access to the Scriptures" has been "provided to all the Christian faithful” (Dei Verbum, 22). Through Missals, Monthly Publications, Liturgical Calendars, Websites and Applications, access to daily readings of the Mass, to prayer and listening to the Lord has been facilitated – an important grace for our times.

Who might find the course useful? 

The course is for all of us who would like to deepen their practice of Lectio Divina, or just want to learn how to listen to the Lord.

As with all School of Mary courses, the Patroness of the Course is Our Lady, the Mother of Jesus. The content of the course has received the approval and blessing of H.E. Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark.

Dates and times of the Course are:

17th, 24th September and 1st October 2016, from 10 am to 4:30 pm.

Refreshments are provided. Please bring a packed lunch.

Where the course takes place?

The course will take place at St Mary of the Angels, Moorhouse Road, Bayswater, London, W2 5DJ. ('Notting Hill Gate' or 'Bayswater' Tube Stations and Buses 7, 23, 27, 28, 31, 70, 328)

Who will teach the course? 

The course will be taught by Jean Khoury, a full-time theologian who has studied and taught Spiritual Life in the Church for over twenty years. As well as lecturing world-wide on spiritual life and meditation, Jean is the author of several books, articles and studies on spiritual life and the founder of the School of Mary, a three-level formation in spiritual life (www.amorvincit.com). 

Jean obtained a degree in Philosophy from the Institut Catholique de Toulouse (France), a Licence in Theology from the Teresianum (Rome) and a Masters in Spiritual Theology from the Institute Catholique de Toulouse (France). He is currently completing his PhD in Spiritual Theology at the Angelicum (Rome) with Monsignor François-Marie Léthel. Courses at the School of Mary constitute his sole source of income.

How much will the course cost?

The cost for the course is £25 per day / £75 for the full course. As the venue has limited capacity and we expect demand to be very high, participants will need to register and pay a deposit of £25 in advance with any remaining balance to be paid on 17th September.

How do I sign up for the course?

Participants will need to register to attend the course and pay a £25 deposit. 

In order to register, please EITHER 

* Email schoolofmarylondon@gmail.com with your name and contact details and we will be in touch with details of how to pay the deposit by bank transfer OR 

* Complete the booking form overleaf and send it along with a cheque for £25 payable to Jean Khoury to:

School of Mary, 

Flat 6 Carlton Mansions,

14 Holland Park Gardens,

London W14 8DW

If you have any questions, please do phone Francesca at: 07527 907642

or write to schoolofmarylondon@gmail.com and we will be happy to respond.