As many of you know, we stand at a pivotal moment. The hunger for authentic spiritual formation rooted in the Carmelite tradition has never been greater, and CACS is being called to expand our reach and deepen our impact – not just here in Oxford, but across continents and cultures.
To help us rise to this moment, we’re delighted to introduce Susanna, who joins us as Community and Development Officer.
Susanna brings a rich combination of gifts: experience in trusts fundraising, project development, publishing, and hospitality, along with a deep personal commitment to Christian spirituality (she’s currently pursuing her Masters at St Mary’s University, London). But beyond her impressive credentials, what struck us most is her understanding that this work is fundamentally about encounter – creating spaces where people meet the God who transforms us through friendship, silence, and the wisdom of our Carmelite saints.
Based at The Carmelite Priory in Boars Hill, Susanna will play a vital part in bringing our vision to life: developing new programmes and resources, helping coordinate retreats and events, leading fundraising efforts that make formation accessible to more people, and ensuring every person who encounters CACS – whether as a student, spiritual director, companion, retreatant, volunteer, or friend – experiences the contemplative presence, warmth, and genuine belonging that are hallmarks of Carmelite spirituality.
This isn’t simply about organisational growth. It’s about answering a call. There are spiritual directors waiting to be formed, souls longing for contemplative depth, communities around the world ready to discover the treasures of Teresa, John of the Cross, and Thérèse. With Susanna helping to build the infrastructure and relationships that make this possible, we can reach them.
Join us in welcoming Susanna wholeheartedly. And more than that – we invite you to partner with her in this vision. You’ll be hearing from her soon with news of exciting developments in the pipeline, but please don’t wait. Reach out to introduce yourself, share your ideas, offer your support, or simply say hello by email at susanna.page@cacs.org.uk. This is our community, and together we’re building something beautiful.