Province Day-Holy Cross, Leicester

With Christmas approaching the Brothers of the Province of England gathered at our priory in Leicester for a day of prayer, reflection and fraternity. Drawing on the recent Papal visit to Britain, the day focused on the necessary dialogue between Catholicism and 'secularisation'. Simon Gaine OP gave an overview of the Pope's speeches on this subject and analysed them from a Thomist point of view. He was followed by Dr Kieran Flanagan of the University of Bristol, who examined secularisation from a sociological point of view.

Dr Kieran Flanagan and Fr Simon Gaine OP

After lunch and a brief session of provincial business the brothers gathered in the church for a period of silent prayer. A fruitful day concluded with the celebration of solemn vespers.

The province day ended a busy week for our brothers in Leicester, who had the previous week marked the tenth anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Bishop Malcolm McMahon OP with a Pontifical High Mass. The Bishop also blessed Holy Cross's new shrine dedicated to the English Martyrs. Pictures and information about the Mass and the shrine can be found on the priory's website and  here and here

(Many Thanks to Isabelle Fong for the video stills from Vespers)