The National Course is a collaborative project between Missio and the Catholic Missionary Union (CMU), for pastoral ministers from overseas who are working in England and Wales.
It is designed to help Diocesan fidei donum priests, and Religious Priests, Brothers, and Sisters who have entered the UK within the last two or three years:
- To value their own cultures as well as to be open to the culture in which they are serving,
- To be willing to share their unique personal gifts in the service of the Church here,
- To be able to cope with the complexity of ministry in a cross-cultural setting,
- To be available to others so that they can be approached with trust and confidence, without fear of being judged,
- To understand the vital need for Safeguarding structures to protect children and vulnerable adults and to follow the current guidelines strictly,
- To be friends, in the host culture, to those whom God loves in a special way: the outcast, the stranger, the poor and the sinner,
- To possess a profound respect for other people, cultures, and religions, discerning the presence of God in their midst and willing to listen to and learn from them, and adapt accordingly,
- To reflect on how they can support the Church here to grow in its appreciation of diversity and include other cultures and traditions,
- To communicate something of the freshness and vitality of the Church from which they come,
- To value collaboration with Priests, Deacons, and pastoral agents in the local Church, and
- To equip them with the means to become effective and fulfilled servants of the local Church.
CMU and Missio have successfully run this course together since 2018. Thanks to the generous support of Porticus, CMU and Missio were able to extend the course to two residential weeks in 2021-22, with peer group and mentor support in the intervening months. Participants and formators found this to be a very effective model of delivery.
Dates and Fees
Participants must attend TWO workshops as follows:
- Part 1 – Monday 27 to Friday 31 October 2025
- Part 2 – Monday 18 to Friday 22 May 2026
Both workshops will be held at the Oblate Retreat Centre, Wistaston Hall, 89 Broughton Lane, Crewe, CW2 8JS
The cost of the course is £1,100 per person, all-inclusive apart from transport costs, payable by 1 October 2025.
There will also be peer group gatherings with a mentor in the intervening months.
For further information, please contact Fr Anthony Chantry at [email protected]
Facilitated by:
Fr Anthony Dampson SMA (UK & Ghana)
Guest speakers including:
Mr Richard Owens
Dr Helen Costigane
Fr Eamonn Mulcahy CSSP
Br Brendan Geery
Fr Anthony Chantry MHM
Mr Danny Curtin
Fr Barry O’Sullivan
Fr Liam Cummins MHM
Fr Leo Abgene CSsP
Ms Claire Colleran
Venue:
Feedback and photos
Get a feel for the course through the feedback and photographs from last year’s participants below:
