Life in the Spirit Seminars 2026
Register HereWelcome!
Thank you for wanting to learn more about Northampton Diocese Life in the Spirit Seminars for 2026!
The Seminars are being run by the Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal team under the auspices of Bishop David Oakley and the Mission Northampton Team. (See the FAQ section below for more on the parish, Agency and team). This year we are delighted to be offering the seminars online so as many people around the Diocese can attend.
The weekday sessions will be online on Tuesdays starting on 28th April, May 5th, 12th,
19th and 26th and June 2nd .
However the Baptism in The Holy Spirit retreat day will take place IN-PERSON on Pentecost Eve on Saturday 23rd May 2026 at 11am at Our Lady, Help of Christians, 52 Castle St., Chapel Langley, Luton (LU1 3AG).
You’ll find below the information you need:
- To decide if you’d like to take part in the Seminars – we hope you will!
- To register – which you can do via the “Reserve a spot” button.
What are Life in the Spirit Seminars?
Life in the Spirit Seminars comprise a series of talks and discussions held on six weekday evenings and a half-day retreat, supported by short daily reflections.
The Seminars are designed as an introduction to a life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. They provide an opportunity for you to find out more about that life, and to be helped in taking the first steps of a new relationship with Our Lord.
They include the opportunity for you to be prayed with for a fuller release of the Holy Spirit to live a deeper Christian life. That’s referred to as being “Baptised in the Spirit”. We’ll explain all about this as the Seminars proceed. It’s nothing to be afraid of – quite the contrary!
The Life in the Spirit Seminars grew out of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. In 2019, Pope Francis asked CHARIS International – the newly-established Catholic Church entity serving the worldwide Catholic Charismatic Renewal – to make the Baptism in the Spirit available around the world, to everyone in the Church.
LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINARS ONLINE ON ZOOM USING ‘THE GIFT’ – A CaFE COURSE
This year’s seminars will be held online to give many people across the Diocese the chance to participicate. We will be using ‘The Gift’ – which is an inspiring and practical series aimed at people of all ages to help them encounter the Holy Spirit and empower them to share their faith – developed by the Catholic Faith Exploration (CaFE) organisation
Presented by well-known international speakers: David Payne, Michelle Moran, Charles Whitehead and Jenny Baker. The teachings are relaxed, personal and informative, rooted in the Bible, the Catechism, Evangelii Gaudium, and reflections on the Holy Spirit from Pope Francis. Sessions last 30 minutes and include testimonies from laity and clergy.
The Six Sessions are:
- The Fathers Loving Plan – Tuesday 28th April 2026
- The Joy Of The Gospel – Tuesday 5th May
- The Gift Of The Spirit – Tuesday 12th May
- Unwrapping God’s Gift – 19th May
- Encountering the Holy Spirit (Part B) – 26th May
- Living In The Spirit – 2nd June
Retreat Day at Our Lady, Help of Christians, 52 Castle St., Chapel Langley, Luton, SATURDAY 23RD MAY 2026
We hope that as many participants as possible will gather at Our Lady, Help of Christians, Luton (LU1 3AG) for our Baptism in the Holy Spirit Retreat Day on Pentecost eve Saturday 23rd May from 11am to 4pm. This is great opportunity for you to be prayed with for a fuller release of the Holy Spirit to live a deeper Christian life.
We will provide further details of the Retreat Day, and of the alternative arrangements in place for those who cannot attend it, closer to the time.
FAQ
Do I have to pay anything?
There is no charge for the Seminars. We will ask for donations to help us to cover our costs (which include publicity costs and the expenses of our Speakers), but this is completely voluntary.
Is there a Guidebook?
Yes, we use a Guidebook for the Life in the Spirit Seminars entitled Finding New Life in the Spirit. The Guidebook includes simple, Scripture-based daily reflections for you to follow in between the weekly sessions. It’s available for just £6.00 plus delivery from Goodnews Books 01582 571011
Attendees using the online CaFE course are able to access the course recommended book, ‘Towards a Fuller Life in the Holy Spirit’ by Charles Whitehead, plus ‘Baptism in the Holy Spirit’ a theological framework and pastoral guidelines, plus ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ encyclical by Pope Francis, all are available from goodnewsbooks.co.uk
Do I have to follow the daily reflections?
Of course that’s up to you. But we will gently encouraging you to follow them, because they are an integral part of the Seminars, which will help you between the weekly sessions on your journey to find a deeper life in God.
What is the Northampton Catholic Charismatic Renewal Diocesan team (CDSC)?
It’s the expression at the diocesan level of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service (CHARIS) set up to support the Catholic Charismatic Renewal around the world. Our team currently has 11 members, representing a variety of the different charismatic groups, communities and ministries in the Northampton Diocese.
Is Bishop David supportive of the Seminars and the Charismatic Renewal Team?
The seminars are being organised under the auspices of Bishop David who is fully supportive of the Charismatic Renewal Team which he commissioned in March 2023.
How did Pope Saint John Paul II describe the Catholic Charismatic Renewal?
“A grace directed to sanctify the church, to renew in her the taste for prayer, to rediscover, with the Holy Spirit, the sense of gratuitousness, of joyful praise, of confidence in intercession, and to be converted into a new fountain of evangelization.”
