Year for Consecrated Life + NEW FILM

This Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent, sees the start of the Year for Consecrated Life. In announcing this year, Pope Francis said: "Religious should be men and women able to wake up the world."

Throughout England and Wales, dioceses and religious congregations are celebrating the start of the year with liturgical events such as Mass in Westminster and Birmingham Cathedrals this Saturday, Vespers at Worth Abbey for Arundel and Brighton the following week and a day for consecrated men and women at Brentwood Cathedral centre last Saturday.

The National Office for Vocation (NOV) has produced a new film entitled Consecrated Life: Men and Women Religious Tell Their Stories, which is available via Vimeo and YouTube. The Director of NOV, Fr Christopher Jamison commented: "There has been a marked increase in the numbers of people enquiring about religious life in this country. We are currently training people to be vocation guides to assist them and others as they seek to discern their vocation."

The Compass project is planning a series of special events around the country for young people interested in exploring a call to religious life, including weekends in monasteries and day events at university chaplains in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Other events are already planned and details can be found here: www.ukreligiouslife.org

See the NOV film: www.vimeo.com/channels/consecratedlife