Our Lectures

The Church is at work—because the Church is every baptised Christian. At the heart of this mission lies a crucial truth: how we act, feel, and think are deeply intertwined. Our thoughts shape our actions, and our actions, in turn, form our hearts. If we want to transform the world, we must first transform how we see it—how we understand our Catholic faith, truth, and our role within the Church. In the Advent Lecture 2024, Fr. Nicholas explores how interior renewal is the starting point of real change. By consciously forming our minds—choosing how we think about our faith and our mission—we shape the way we feel, live and move as followers of Christ today.

Why is beauty so important to us as humans? How can beauty bring us closer to God? Fr Patrick van der Vorst (founder and writer of Christian Art, and previously Director of Sotheby’s Europe) brings his professional expertise and priestly insight to the fore as he highlights the fundamental importance of beauty and art within the Catholic tradition.  

In our 2024 Lenten Lecture, Mgr James Shea (author of 'From Christendom to Apostolic Mission') addresses the need for a deep and clear-sighted understanding of our times to grow in effective evangelisation.

Acclaimed poet and writer, Sally Read, delivers the Guild's 2023 Advent Lecture. Drawing on the literary treasures of the Church and her own experience of coming to faith, Sally explores how God speaks to us and how we can listen more carefully for Him. In our fast-paced, digital age, this topic is more pertinent than ever.

At our latest Guild lecture, our guest speaker was Lord Maurice Glasman, a political theorist, social commentator and academic at St May’s University, who spoke on Catholic Social Teaching and how is can renew society. Lord Glasman is also the director of the Common Good Foundation and just this year published 'Blue Labour: The Politics of the Common Good'.