Welcome to the website of the St Catherine's Trust, a charitable trust set up in 2004 to promote Catholic education in accordance with the traditional teachings, liturgy and devotions of the Roman Catholic Church. Our main activity at present is the organisation of annual week-long Summer Schools for young Catholics aged 11 to 18, and annual weekend Family Retreats for Catholic families, usually around Easter.
Forthcoming Events in 2012
This Retreat will be our sixth annual Retreat for families, and our third at this excellent venue! It will include Daily Sung Mass in the traditional rite, sung Compline, traditional devotions, spiritual conferences and activities for children of all ages. The Retreat is designed to enable parents to attend accompanied by their children, although adults not accompanied by children are also welcome.
Registration will be from 3.30pm to 4.30pm on the Friday; the Retreat ends with Sung Mass at 11.30am followed by lunch on the Sunday.
Cost: Single Adult £110; Husband & Wife £190; Child (under 18) £30; Infant (not requiring a bed): Free.
£10 discount for each LMS member.
Those in financial need may claim one of a limited number of bursaries provided by the Latin Mass Society of 50% of the total cost for their family.
2012 Gregorian Chant Course, Easter Friday 13th April 2012 to Low Sunday 15th April 2012
This will take place concurrently with the Family Retreat (above) at the
Oratory School, Oxfordshire, near Reading (RG8 0PJ).
The Chant Course, provided in association with the Gregorian Chant Network, will be directed by Colin Mawby, composer and former Director of Music at Westminster Cathedral, assisted by Nigel Kerry of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Cambridge.
Singers will be divided by experience, and will be prepared to participate in the liturgical functions of the Family Retreat, involving rehearsal of the Mass Ordinaries and Propers, the chants for Benediction and the Divine Office. All liturgical functions will be according to the traditional Roman rite.
Cost: £90 all inclusive; £10 discount for LMS members. Up to 50% off for GCN-affiliated scholas, thanks to sponsorship by the Latin Mass Society. Please contact us for full details.
Downloadable application form (PDF - please see lower half of form)
2012 Summer School, for Ages 11-18, Sunday 22nd July to Sunday 29th July 2012
2012 Latin Course for Adults, Sunday 22nd July to Sunday 29th July 2012
These events will take place at the
Franciscan Friary in Pantasaph.
As in previous years, the Summer School will include daily Rosary, Sung Mass and Sung Compline, and lessons each day in Catechesis, Catholic History, English Literature, Latin, Gregorian Chant and a host of other subjects taught from a Catholic perspective.
The Latin Course will have its own staff, and accommodation separate from that of the Summer School. As last year, participants will be able to attend the liturgical functions (Sung Mass and Sung Compline) of the Summer School each day.
Latin courses and books abound but few have a focus on the Latin of
the Church, which has its own characteristics, and certainly
none can be studied in a week-long course in the
context of daily Traditional Sung Mass and Compline,
which is provided by our Summer School.
The course aims to give adult beginners an
introduction to Latin, and more advanced students a
boost in relation specifically to liturgical Latin. In both
cases it is designed to set up students to pursue independent
study before perhaps coming back in future years to
take their knowledge further.
Further information about the Summer School and Latin Course will be posted shortly.
Some Past Events
2010 Summer School, for Ages 11-18, Sunday 1st August to Sunday 8th August 2010
This took place at
Ardingly College, near Haywards Heath, as last year. This “jubilee” Summer School, marking
five years since our first in 2005, saw all the features which have made it
such a success over the years.
We had high staff-student ratio thanks to our
volunteers, making for a varied set of subjects and
small class sizes. Our Chaplain, Fr Southwell, gave
all the students catechesis. Each day
began with the Rosary in the chapel, and ended with Sung
Compline; we had Sung Mass every day before
lunch. In addition to the lessons there was a variety of
outdoor activities, sewing and drawing, altar serving training for the boys, and a trip to
Arundel with Sung Mass in the Cathedral.
Some pictures can be seen on Dr Joseph Shaw's blog.
2010 Latin Course for Adults, Sunday 1st to Sunday 8th August 2010
This new initiative took place at Ardingly College concurrently with the Summer School. It had its own accommodation and staff, but participants were able to attend the liturgical functions (Sung Mass and Sung Compline) of the Summer School each day.
Under the direction of the well-known Latinist Mr Philip Goddard, this was the only Latin Summer School with a focus on liturgical
Latin. It was an intensive course with classes for beginners and the more advanced.
Reports on our past events
The St Catherine’s Trust is a Registered Charity, no. 1110417.
This will take place at the