We, the undersigned faithful, respectfully present this petition to the Prior and Leadership of Aylesford Priory regarding the scheduled commercial event "The Power of Nine – A Yoga & Meditation Retreat" (August 14–16, 2026).

Aylesford Priory (The Friars) is a venerable Carmelite sanctuary, a place of holy pilgrimage, and a shrine deeply dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Allowing practices rooted in Eastern spiritual traditions and New Age philosophy on sanctuary grounds creates spiritual confusion and scandal among the faithful.

While physical exercise is neutral, yoga incorporates spiritual frameworks that stand in conflict with Catholic theology and authentic Carmelite spirituality, which is centred entirely on Jesus Christ.

The Catholic Church has repeatedly advised against mixing non-Christian spiritual methods with Christian prayer, most notably in the 1989 Vatican document Orationis Formas (approved by St. John Paul II) and the 2003 document Jesus Christ The Bearer Of The Water Of Life.

We respectfully urge the Priory Leadership to:

Cancel the upcoming "Power of Nine" Yoga & Meditation Retreat.

Establish a clear policy prohibiting the commercial rental of sanctuary facilities for yoga, New Age, or non-Christian spiritual practices.

Preserve Aylesford Priory exclusively as a place dedicated to Catholic worship, Marian devotion, and Carmelite prayer.

Thank you for listening to the concerns of the faithful and protecting the sacred identity of this holy sanctuary.