I’m sure it will be no surprise to you to hear that the Covid-19 situation is impacting on our plans for the conference in August. In these unprecedented circumstances the SEN committee met (maintaining appropriate social-distancing and using Zoom online conferencing technology) to discuss how best to respond to the situation. 

We have decided to postpone the conference for a year. Given the degree of uncertainty we decided to make a clear decision believing it very unlikely that by August a conference as we had planned it would be possible. 

Our hope is that we will be able to run the conference as planned in August 2021 and we are in conversation with our speakers and Hinsley Hall about this. We will let you have the details in due course. We are also beginning to think about ways in which we might provide some alternative online connections this year. Its early days in our thinking, so if you have ideas about ways in which we might do something supportive of the ministry of the exercises online do share them with us. 

This will mean that for those who have already booked their place on their conference, and paid either the deposit or the full fee, there is a choice for your payment to be refunded or held by SEN to be put towards the 2021 conference. You should have received an email telling you how to do this. If not, email bookings@spiritualexercisesnetwork.uk.

These times are both a major challenge and an opportunity. Crises often allow transformations to occur that are very difficult to achieve in normal times. This is not just humanly true, but a fundamental dimension to the nature of God who through the crisis of the passion, transformed the human-divine relationship. As we progress through Lent and into Holy Week with the impact of Covid-19 we share in this profound mystery of God in Christ Jesus transforming the world. Ignatius encourages us to maintain a discerning stance towards the movements of the spirits at work in all of this, and to respond to the creative movements with faith and commitment to the glory and praise of God. May God’s Spirit continue to sustain you in your discerning and response to this extraordinary time.

Nick Helm
SEN Chair