"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14: 27)
Christ says that He gives us His peace, carefully underlining that His peace is not the same as the peace that the world gives.
He then goes on to reassure us, and ask of us something important that ties into our ability to receive His peace: not to allow our hearts to be troubled or afraid. We can explore this notion of peace on so many levels. How do the Scriptures open up the aspect of peace in our spiritual lives? Does the Church help us grow this peace in our personal lives and in the life of our communities?
And we can also ask, how does the eucharistic gathering become the way we find and practise peace, and ultimately manifest Christ’s peace to the world around us?
Christ tells us to not be afraid or troubled in our hearts – an exhortation that is so difficult for us to obey. By focusing on the Peace given to us by Christ, the 2026 Conference & Festival will address some of the ways in which we can start to dispel the anxieties and fears that the Lord so much wants us to leave behind.