St Mary's to host Mental Health and Spirituality Conference

The Centre for Initiatives in Spirituality and Reconciliation (InSpiRe) at St Mary’s University, Twickenham will host a conference with themes relating to mental health and spiritual life on Saturday 6th June. The conference Mental Well-Being: Listening with Compassion is part of the drive to raise awareness of mental health issues and to address issues of stigma and discrimination. The conference will be introduced by Bishop Moth, Chair of the Board of Governors at St Mary’s and Chair of The Catholic Bishops’ Conference Mental Health Project and recently installed as Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, who will also lead the first session entitled Evangelli Gaudium: Compassion and Mercy in Mental Health. Other speakers at the conference include Dr Trevor Stammers who will lead an interactive workshop on Poetry and Compassion in Mental Health; Chaplain of Sarum College Sister Mairead Quigley and Professor in Theology and Religion at Durham University Prof Chris Cook. The day is intended for all those involved in mental health care, practitioners and service users. About the forthcoming conference Bishop Richard Moth said, “I welcome this initiative and collaboration between St Mary’s University and the Bishops’ Conference Mental Health Project and I look forward to taking part in this event. I am confident that this Conference will develop the response of the University and the Church in England and Wales to the many people within our society who live with mental health difficulties.” The day will run from 9.30am to 4pm and will cost £35 including a buffet lunch. For further information please contact Steph Modak at inspire@stmarys.ac.uk.