St Benedict Week and AWAKEN! Study Days

The Lay Community of St Benedict invites parishes, monasteries, and Christian communities to take part in St Benedict Week and the AWAKEN! Study Days, a period of prayer, study, and reflection centred on the theme 'Rule of Life.'

Held from 6-19 July, around the feast day of St Benedict, St Benedict Week offers lay people, religious, and clergy an opportunity to reflect on the Rule of St Benedict as a living guide for Christian discipleship today. Shaped by a Benedictine rhythm, the week includes a call to prayer through the daily Offices at which all are welcome, inviting participants to ground their reflection in the worshipping life of the Church.

The AWAKEN! Study Days form a central part of St Benedict Week and are held in person. They take place alongside an exhibition in Norwich that explores the Rule of St Benedict through text, image, and contemporary interpretation, offering visitors a visual and reflective encounter with Benedictine spirituality. Across the two Study Days, participants are invited to extended talks, shared reflection, and prayer, making connections between the exhibition and the lived practice of a Rule of Life. The booking deadline is 26th June.

Speaking about the event, Adam Simon, leader of the Lay Community of St Benedict, said: "The exhibition in Norwich and study days offer a tangible way into the Rule of St Benedict, while the online talks, and daily Offices during St Benedict Week invite people everywhere to take part. Together they offer a chance for lay people to reflect on how a Rule of Life might take shape in everyday living. All are welcome."

In addition, a programme of online talks, written reflections, and blogs will be shared throughout the week, enabling people to participate wherever they are. Rooted in the theme Rule of Life, these resources explore how Benedictine wisdom offers a framework for prayer, work, rest, hospitality, and community in everyday living. They are designed to complement the in-person Study Days, while also standing alone as a resource for individuals, parishes, and religious houses.

Talks are as follows:

• Benedict for beginners, 6 July at 8pm, Daisy Inglese, LCSB Discipleship Coordinator

• Benedict for basket cases, 12 July at 6pm, Fr Mark Patrick Hederman, monk and former Abbot of Glenstal Abbey

• Benedict for becoming, 15 July at 8pm, Sr Josephine Parkinson, Novice Mistress, St Benedict Week and AWAKEN! Study Days

Churches, monasteries, and Christian publications are warmly encouraged to share this invitation with their communities.

For further information and to book St Benedict Week 2026 events, see: www.lcsb.uk/st-benedict-week

The Lay Community of St Benedict supports lay people who are drawn to the Benedictine way and wish to live it authentically in their homes, workplaces, and church communities. St Benedict Week and AWAKEN! welcome both those familiar with the Rule and those encountering Benedictine spirituality for the first time.