PRESS RELEASE                                             

For immediate release  -  15th January 2007

Don’t Worry Be Happy Day

               22 January 2007

Exclusive One To One With A ‘Spiritual Life’ Coach

Feeling the post-Christmas blues? Already broken your New Year resolutions? Struggling to see the light? Don’t despair, help is just round the corner. On Monday 22 January, a free self-help resource is on offer packed with top tips for finding some seasonal hope and the chance to win an exclusive one to one with a ‘spiritual life’ coach.

Mondays in late January are very often reported to be the worst days in the year; the days most likely to provoke depression. [1]  The reasons for this are many, not least because the party season is over and many of us are feeling bloated, strapped for cash and suffering from broken relationships.  Recent interest rate rises can only add to the gloom.

The Don’t Worry Be Happy Day (DWBH) initiative aims to offer those affected life-giving antidotes. Freebies include: tips on how to overcome worry, self-help exercises, a meditation, articles, books, a free 'time out' tea bag for every online visitor, a competition to win the best-selling book, Finding Sanctuary and more. The project even has its own patron saint; St Padre Pio who is famed for saying, “Pray, Hope, Don’t Worry.”  St Pio was a stigmatist and mystic [2] ; there is a National Shrine of St Pio in Pantasaph, North Wales; the Shrine is opening its doors to weekend visitors at the end of January. [3]

As part of the DWBH initiative, there is the chance to win an exclusive one to one with a ‘spiritual life’ coach.[4]  More and more people nowadays are employing the skilled services of personal trainers and life coaches to help them get their lives back on track. Clare Ward, one of the resource creators, explained, “It is so liberating to be able to talk to someone openly and freely about those things deepest in your spiritual self; your hopes, beliefs and experiences. 'Spiritual life' coaching, also known as spiritual direction, has long been offered by the Catholic Church and it’s something that many find to be deeply rewarding, freeing and life-changing.”

People of all faiths and none are invited to enter the prize draw by e-mailing their name and address to: Clare.Ward@caseresources.org.uk; two winners will be given a one to one session, to talk through their spiritual journey, with either Fr Abbot Christopher of BBC 2’s The Monastery fame and / or Sr. Gabriel Davison who featured in BBC 2’s The Convent; both expertly provided spiritual direction to volunteers who took part in the series.

DWBH is being run by the Catholic Enquiry Office (CEO); which is part of an Agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Director, Mgr Keith Barltrop, said, “Many people don’t necessarily feel 100% during these long winter days. Our hope is to offer some light in the darkness. On 22 January, take time out and spoil yourself; take advantage of some of the free resources being offered. Christianity is about the fullness of life. That is what the Catholic Church offers and the ultimate and lasting source of life is found in the person of Jesus Christ.”

If you would like to receive a free information pack about Catholic life and beliefs and/or information or simply have questions to ask, please call  t. 020 8458 3316 or e: enquiries@life4seekers.co.uk

ENDS.

Notes to editors  

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4187183.stm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1572612.stm

[2] A stigmatist is someone who supernaturally bears the same physical wounds that   

    Jesus Christ received when he was nailed to the cross on Good Friday.  A mystic   

    is someone who has supernatural experiences when they are seeking to be   

    united with God through Christian prayer.

 [3]  Dates: 26th – 28th January 2007. For more information please see: www.life4seekers.co.uk

[4] Each winner will be given a maximum of £30 towards their travel costs.

For more information and interviewees, please contact:

Clare Ward, CASE, 114 West Heath Road, London. NW3 7TX. t. 020 7458 3316  m: 0770 939 1998. e: Clare.Ward@caseresources.org.uk

CCN, t. 020 7901 4800  m.  07891105245   e.  ccn@cbcew.org.uk

 *Photographs of Abbot Christopher Jamison and Sr Gabriel Davison are available on request.