Leeds Trinity University recently hosted its annual Trinity Conference with the 2024 theme, Reawakening the Catholic Vision, focusing on ‘post-Christendom age’ and the implications this has on every area of the Church’s mission. ‘Christendom’ refers to a set of cultural and social norms which are founded upon a Christian worldview. The conference gave the Church a platform to address the very practical implications of this cultural shift, including declining numbers of practising Catholics in the UK across parishes, schools, families and universities. 

Over 150 people from across the UK gathered at the University’s Main Campus in Horsforth for a day of inspirational talks, exhibitions and networking.  The conference started with a formal welcome and opening prayer from Professor Charles Egbu, Vice Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University and Archbishop Mark O’Toole, Chair of the Department for Evangelisation and Discipleship from Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Afterwards, we were delighted to hear from the event’s keynote speaker, Monsignor James Shea, the President of University of Mary, North Dakota and acclaimed co-author of From Christendom to Apostolic Mission. It was a real honour to have Monsignor Shea join us in person to deliver a dynamic and high-level exposé of the Western culture. 

He argued that the ‘age of Christendom’ is over, and that Catholics now live in a new ‘apostolic’ age, where to believe in and openly live the Catholic faith is to be willing to swim against the cultural tide. Understanding that the wider culture around us has dramatically shifted away from Christianity in the last 30 years is a key realisation for anybody working in a Catholic context. 
 
This idea provided the interpretive key for the rest of the day’s conversations. Esteemed speakers from across the Church’s mission enabled us to contextualise the impact of a post-Christendom age across key areas of the Church’s life, including Catholic schools, parishes, homes, catechesis and social outreach. 

It was good to end the day simply and reverently at the feet of Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, led by the Youth 2000 mission team, an initiative established to draw young people to a deep and lasting union with Jesus Christ. By bringing our hearts to Jesus at the end of the day, we were reminded that it is the Holy Spirit who lives, moves and evangelises in every age, including the present day.  

It was a truly seismic day for the Church, sparking a meaningful, national conversation across various spheres of the Church’s life. The conference has stimulated an ongoing dialogue specifically between Leeds Trinity University and Monsignor Shea’s University of Mary, and we hope this is the beginning of a key partnership of mutual dialogue and knowledge exchange between our two institutions. 

Monsignor Shea’s keynote address is available to view on the Leeds Trinity YouTube Channel, and the University will also produce its own written publication featuring all the talks given at the conference which is due to be published in Autumn 2024. 

Hannah Hayward is Coordinating Lay Chaplain at Leeds Trinity University.