All Saints Parish Retreats & Pilgrimages

 

Parish Retreat

All Saints has been organising an annual retreat for many years, providing a break from the daily routine and a chance to focus on one’s spiritual growth. It’s a unique opportunity to recharge the batteries; to take stock, meditate, read, walk, pray or just rest, but above all, to live in the gift of the present moment and to gain a renewed sense of purpose and direction in life.

The All Saints Retreat is open to everyone, from All Saints’ parishioners to those living further afield, and many have been coming regularly for a number of years.  The retreat is conducted by a retreat leader and follows a scheduled programme based around the daily offices and a number of presentations from the leader, usually focusing on a specific theme.  However, nothing is compulsory (!), and retreatants can choose entirely what they want to join in with.  Some just use the time to rest.

The Retreat is held in a residential retreat centre, solely for our use.  In previous years it was held at Abbey House, Glastonbury in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey, until it closed as a retreat house in 2017.  Since then we have been fortunate enough to hold our retreat weekends at Llangasty Retreat House in Brecon, Wales.  Llangasty is a Christian centre for individuals and groups set in surroundings of peace, beauty, and tranquility, with wildlife in abundance which makes for a perfect retreat setting.

The Retreat is fully residential with comfortable rooms and all meals provided.  It lasts from tea time on a Friday until after lunch on a Sunday, and the majority of it is held in silence (from after supper on the first night, until just before lunch on the Sunday).  Some people find this a strange concept at first, being used to the hustle and bustle and general noise of every day life.  However, most soon get used to it, and discover that it’s a unique opportunity to experience a time of genuine peace and calm in the company of others but without the usual clamour of daily existence. And of course, retreatants are free to talk in their rooms or outside in the grounds of the retreat house.

Over the years, we have been incredibly fortunate to have had many renowned retreat leaders from a variety of different backgrounds and Christian traditions, including The Right Reverend Dr John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh, Br Nicholas Alan SSF, Guardian of the Franciscan Monastery of Glasshampton in Worcestershire, The Most Reverend Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, and most recently, our own Fr Paul, Assistant Priest at All Saints.

See here for a report of our 2025 Parish Retreat, together with some photos of Llangasty and our group!

The 2026 Parish Retreat will once again take place at Llangasty Retreat Centre from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th May 2026 and will be led by our very own Father Charles Sutton, Vicar of All Saints Church, Clifton.  For full information and how to book, see the 2026 Retreat page here.

"The Past is History, the Future is a Mystery, and the Present is a Gift!
Fr. Neil Kelley, 2023 Retreat Leader 

 

Parish Pilgrimage to The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

Known as "England’s Nazareth," the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham has been one of Europe’s premier pilgrimage sites since 1061, when a replica of the Holy House of the Annunciation was first built in this Norfolk village. While the original shrine was destroyed during the Reformation, its 20th-century restoration has seen it flourish as a unique ecumenical centre, drawing both Anglican and Roman Catholic pilgrims to their respective shrines. Whether walking the Holy Mile to the Catholic Slipper Chapel or joining the Sprinkling at the Well in the Anglican Shrine, visitors of all traditions continue to seek the spiritual peace and healing that has defined this sacred landscape for nearly a millennium.

From 6-10 October 2025, nine congregation members of All Saints Clifton enjoyed a deeply enriching retreat to the Shrine of Our Lday of Walsingham, led by Mother Nicola Stanley.

The days were filled with prayer, reflection, and fellowship in this sacred and historic place of pilgrimage.  Participants spoke of the sense of peace and renewal found amid the rhythms of worship and the beauty of the Norfolk countryside

The blessings and insights gained by going on this pilgrimage continue to nurture and inspire our shared life of faith and worship at All Saints, and we are very much looking forward to returning in 2026

For a full report of our 2025 retreat to Walsingham, see here