Canterbury Solitude Group

We are a contemplative prayer group that meets on the third Saturday of every month. The gathering starts at 10am (tea/coffee is available from 9.30am) with an opening prayer, after which the individuals move into silence.

We normally meet in St Peter’s Anglican Church in St Peter’s Street, unless stated otherwise in our parish newsletter. We have been set up within our parish, but our gathering is ecumenical.

For further information, please get in touch with Joan Blows via the parish office.

The form of our meeting is rooted in St Francis’ Document on Solitude and adapted from Helen Budzik OSF’s chapter on ‘The Rule for Hermitages for a Parish’ in Franciscan Solitude edited by Andre Cirino OFM & Josef Raischl.

This document on Solitude uses the images of ‘Mother’ or ‘Martha’ and ‘Son’ or ‘Mary’ (Luke 10:38-42) in which those who are Martha provide the active, practical and caring role, enabling those who are Mary, the contemplative position ‘sitting at the Lord’s feet’.

Two people act as Martha’s each month. and the person acting as the lead works along with the second Martha to produce a short reflection, appropriate to the season.

Many of our group members continue the fraternity by lunching together in a nearby pub.