Impact
Impact is a programme of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) specifically for those aged 13-17.
Using a method called 'Review of Life', young people analyse their lives and act on their findings to make a real difference, proclaiming life through their daily lives.
Check out http://www.ycwimpact.com
Using a method called 'Review of Life', young people analyse their lives and act on their findings to make a real difference, proclaiming life through their daily lives.
Check out http://www.ycwimpact.com
Plugged In - Youth Cafe
You may well have heard of CaFE (Catholic Faith Exploration) - a resource that many parishes use to explore faith more deeply. Now after two years in the making 'Plugged In Youth CaFE' has arrived, specifically designed for teenagers.
Each session (presented on DVD) is a fast moving mixture of personal testimony, young people's questions and reflections, Scripture dramatisations, "Grill the Priest" questions and answers, challenging music from Fr Stan Fortuna and much more. The ssessions aim to cover the basics of our faith in a lively and interactive way.
A 3 minute trailer which gives a taste of the style of "plugged in" and a sample of the course itself can be viewed on the website (Please point over "Youth" and click on to the extention tab)
Each session (presented on DVD) is a fast moving mixture of personal testimony, young people's questions and reflections, Scripture dramatisations, "Grill the Priest" questions and answers, challenging music from Fr Stan Fortuna and much more. The ssessions aim to cover the basics of our faith in a lively and interactive way.
A 3 minute trailer which gives a taste of the style of "plugged in" and a sample of the course itself can be viewed on the website (Please point over "Youth" and click on to the extention tab)
Books & Magazines
•The Catholic Faith Handbook For Youth by Stephen McGlaun. Published by St. Mary's Press. This book describes itself as a Catechism of the Catholic Church for Teens.
•Connect Bible Studies by Scripture Union. This ecumenical resource takes an aspect of contemporary culture, for example football and bases a bible study around it. Very innovative! For the complete range and downloadable versions check out www.connectbiblestudies.com
•Faith Works by Lisa-Marie Calderone Stewart. Published by St. Mary's Press. This book offers 12 sessions helping young people to integrate their Catholic faith and belief into life experience. The sessions are structured and don't ususally need much preparation, so are they are easy to run. Definately worth a look.
•Over 300 Games For All Occasions by Patrick Goodland. Published by Scripture Union. Whether you're looking for short ice breakers at the beginning of a youth group or longer games for a games evening, this book is very handy.
•Youthwork Magazine The magazine for anyone working with young people in the Church. It's full of ideas, resources and useful articles. Available from Christian book shops. The website www.youthwork.co.uk gives much of the content of each issue but also provides a wealth of information from previous issues and much more.
•XT3.com This is an excellent website run by young Catholics for young Catholics. Describing it doesn't do it justice, so check it out and tell the young people you work with to have a look too. The address is http://www.xt3.com
(Please point over "Youth" and click on the extention tab)
•Connect Bible Studies by Scripture Union. This ecumenical resource takes an aspect of contemporary culture, for example football and bases a bible study around it. Very innovative! For the complete range and downloadable versions check out www.connectbiblestudies.com
•Faith Works by Lisa-Marie Calderone Stewart. Published by St. Mary's Press. This book offers 12 sessions helping young people to integrate their Catholic faith and belief into life experience. The sessions are structured and don't ususally need much preparation, so are they are easy to run. Definately worth a look.
•Over 300 Games For All Occasions by Patrick Goodland. Published by Scripture Union. Whether you're looking for short ice breakers at the beginning of a youth group or longer games for a games evening, this book is very handy.
•Youthwork Magazine The magazine for anyone working with young people in the Church. It's full of ideas, resources and useful articles. Available from Christian book shops. The website www.youthwork.co.uk gives much of the content of each issue but also provides a wealth of information from previous issues and much more.
•XT3.com This is an excellent website run by young Catholics for young Catholics. Describing it doesn't do it justice, so check it out and tell the young people you work with to have a look too. The address is http://www.xt3.com
(Please point over "Youth" and click on the extention tab)
Taize - Pilgrimage for young people
Each year, a group of young adults from across our diocese goes on pilgrimage to the ecumenical community of Taize, in France. They spend a week with about 4,000 young adults from across the world, joining the brothers of the community 3 times each day for prayer, exploring their faith together in groups, making new friends and having a good time!
Taize is an international, ecumenical community founded in 1940 by Brother Roger... Today the community is made up of over 100 brothers froim Catholics and various Protestant backgrounds.
At the heart of daily life in Taize are three times of prayer together. Since the late 1950s, thousands of young adults from many countries have found their way to Taize.
Taize is an international, ecumenical community founded in 1940 by Brother Roger... Today the community is made up of over 100 brothers froim Catholics and various Protestant backgrounds.
At the heart of daily life in Taize are three times of prayer together. Since the late 1950s, thousands of young adults from many countries have found their way to Taize.
WYD : A universal Church, a universal language. (16th August 2011)
The 26th World Youth Day kicked off in Madrid Spain on Tuesday evening with the celebration of Mass in Madrid´s Cibeles Square, presided over by the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela. Under the theme “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith”, hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the world will spend the next five days learning about the Universal Church and their faith. Emer McCarthy is in Madrid and sends us this report:
By midday Tuesday half a million pilgrims had registered to participate in WYD, but the queue outside pavilion number one of the Madrid Fiera – the logistics centre for WYD pilgrims - ran for over a kilometre and an average waiting period of over two hours. With temperatures reaching a scorching 37° centigrade many hid beneath the scant shade of national flags or cardboard boxes while volunteers issued water and hats to help protect from the burning sun.
Once inside the pilgrims – in parish and diocesan groups, as well as single individuals - received their pilgrim pass, their food and travel coupons, their packs and maps indicating where the Masses, catechesis and working groups in diverse language groups will be held starting from Wednesday morning. And through all of this, the waiting the heat, the confusion not a single cross word.
The Spanish capital has opened its doors to what has been described as a ‘peaceful invasion’ of young people. They are a visible presence everywhere in red and yellow T-shirts with their backpacks and flags. The historic Plaza del Sol – occupied in May this year by young Spaniards angered at soaring unemployment rates – has been taken over by groups from Germany, Italy and the US –by far the most dominant and vocal national groups.
A huge stage has been erected at the central Plaza de Cibeles, one of Madrid's most emblematic sites , where the opening mass will be held. Outdoor confessionals line the walls of the Jardines del Buen Retiro. While in the home grounds of Real Madrid – the famous Bernabe stadium – a Coffee House has been set up by young volunteers inviting visitors to the soccer grounds to stop and find out a little bit more about the Catholic faith and what motivates this movement of young people .
Another initiative, again led by young pilgrims is the ‘Chain of Eucharistic Adoration’ , where whatever the hour of the day, from 16 to 21 August, there will be someone praying for WYD and its fruits. The initiative will begin at the conclusion of the opening Mass Tuesday evening in the chapel at the Madrid Seminary and continue for a total of 121 hours until WYD concludes.
As one young man named Martin all the way from Malaysia, clutching his backpack and pilgrim pass eloquently put it: “I can’t believe I actually made it here. I was walking by a group of young people, I have no idea where they were from, I couldn’t understand their language but I knew they were praying the rosary, so we prayed together – that would never happen in my country, where Catholics are a minority. It really makes me feel now, that I am not alone”.
By midday Tuesday half a million pilgrims had registered to participate in WYD, but the queue outside pavilion number one of the Madrid Fiera – the logistics centre for WYD pilgrims - ran for over a kilometre and an average waiting period of over two hours. With temperatures reaching a scorching 37° centigrade many hid beneath the scant shade of national flags or cardboard boxes while volunteers issued water and hats to help protect from the burning sun.
Once inside the pilgrims – in parish and diocesan groups, as well as single individuals - received their pilgrim pass, their food and travel coupons, their packs and maps indicating where the Masses, catechesis and working groups in diverse language groups will be held starting from Wednesday morning. And through all of this, the waiting the heat, the confusion not a single cross word.
The Spanish capital has opened its doors to what has been described as a ‘peaceful invasion’ of young people. They are a visible presence everywhere in red and yellow T-shirts with their backpacks and flags. The historic Plaza del Sol – occupied in May this year by young Spaniards angered at soaring unemployment rates – has been taken over by groups from Germany, Italy and the US –by far the most dominant and vocal national groups.
A huge stage has been erected at the central Plaza de Cibeles, one of Madrid's most emblematic sites , where the opening mass will be held. Outdoor confessionals line the walls of the Jardines del Buen Retiro. While in the home grounds of Real Madrid – the famous Bernabe stadium – a Coffee House has been set up by young volunteers inviting visitors to the soccer grounds to stop and find out a little bit more about the Catholic faith and what motivates this movement of young people .
Another initiative, again led by young pilgrims is the ‘Chain of Eucharistic Adoration’ , where whatever the hour of the day, from 16 to 21 August, there will be someone praying for WYD and its fruits. The initiative will begin at the conclusion of the opening Mass Tuesday evening in the chapel at the Madrid Seminary and continue for a total of 121 hours until WYD concludes.
As one young man named Martin all the way from Malaysia, clutching his backpack and pilgrim pass eloquently put it: “I can’t believe I actually made it here. I was walking by a group of young people, I have no idea where they were from, I couldn’t understand their language but I knew they were praying the rosary, so we prayed together – that would never happen in my country, where Catholics are a minority. It really makes me feel now, that I am not alone”.
