Complete silence filled Wembley Arena on Saturday afternoon as approximately 8,000 young Catholics adored the Blessed Sacrament. The famous sports arena was host to the Flame Youth Congress which was a day of prayer and praise for young Catholic across Britain.
Protestant and Catholic youngsters from Lurgan will be invited to take part in film making and amateur dramatics as part of the £255,000 initiative to build better cross community relations. A team of young ambassadors aged 15-19 have also been recruited from both sides of the religious divide to promote community relations in the town.
British bishops plan to use the 2012 London Olympic Games to renew interest in the Catholic faith, with initiatives ranging from fighting human trafficking and homelessness to promoting youth ministry and ecumenical dialogue.
From Africa and from the World Youth Day in Madrid, a powerful remedy against faith fatigue and weariness The joyous experiences of faith lived in Madrid with the youth of the world, then the recent Visit to Benin were moments of “great encouragement” for the Pope, showing him that it is possible to give life to “a new, more youthful form of Christianity” able to overcome the “ faith fatigue” ever more present in Europe.
Realise that you yourselves are an example and an inspiration to adults, even more so to the extent that you seek to overcome injustice and corruption and strive to build a better future. Be aware of your potential; never become self-centred but work for a brighter future for all.
20-Somethings Cite Many Reasons for Disconnect.- It's well-known that many young people stop being active Church-goers. A recent book examined extensive research carried out by the Barna Group to find out why so many drop out as they move into adulthood. In "You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving the Church ... and Rethinking Faith," (Baker Books), David Kinnaman, along with Aly Hawkins, analyzed a wide range of statistical data.
‘Young people are presented not as individuals, but as a menacing plague’ It is not, by common consent, a good time to be young. So it is in our nature to believe the worst of our young people. I find myself doing it far too often, even as a parent of two of them, but a couple of encounters in recent days have forced me to think again.
The number of young people who apply for college places but fail to enrol has risen, according to research by the Association of Colleges. Some are worried that they would "waste" a couple of years in college and then find it hard to get any job at all, given the youth unemployment, so they would rather just get started.
The Pontifical Council for the Laity is currently celebrating its twenty-fifth plenary assembly on the theme: "The Question of God in Today's World".Turning his attention to World Youth Day, Benedict XVI said: "An extraordinary cascade of light, joy and hope illuminated not only Madrid, but also Europe and the entire world, clearly re-establishing the importance of seeking God in today's world."
Girls are growing up in a "moral abyss" where being dressed in "mini-me" sexy clothing and wearing make-up is acceptable, a schools leader has said.
This month, from Nov. 17th- 19th, the Indianapolis Catholic Youth Conference has seen a gathering of Bishops, priests and religious, together with guest speakers, musicians and artists to work and pray with 25,000 young Catholics from both America and abroad.
Faced with the uncertainty of the crisis The financial and economic crisis which has shaken Europe to its core, cannot be resolved only by accounting and fiscal measures to balance the budget. All European democracies are experiencing obvious and hidden social conflicts which decisively influence political consensus.
Inner-city teenagers are swapping ideas with police as part of a fresh bid to beat the capital's knife crime problems. More than 90 schoolchildren are taking part in the new scheme aimed to shape the way youth violence is tackled. Barry Mizen, whose 16-year-old son Jimmy was murdered in 2008, is among a panel of experts speaking to 14 and 15-year-olds at City Hall.
Hundreds of young people are expected to march through London later to highlight the problem of youth unemployment. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 911,000 people in the UK under the age of 24 are currently out of work. That has risen from from 367,000 a decade ago. The protesters have an appointment at Downing Street to hand in a petition signed by tens of thousands of disaffected young people.
The band has released a song and music video inspired by top London-based jewelry designer, Lara Bohinc’s, recent tasteless comment when Kate Moss asked her for a free belt: “Are you sure she’ll be wearing it?’ I didn’t want to see it on her Filipina maid.”
The pope told the crowd, they shouldn't be afraid to recognize the hardships that exists in their lives. He asked them to stay away from temptations like, laziness or hesitations that may come when they're thinking of doing a good deed.
Mary O’Regan profiles ten young people from different walks of life who are living out their Catholic faith in extraordinary ways.
Evening all, my name is Aimee and I attended my very first World Youth Day in Madrid this year with the Claretian family. I didn't really know what to expect as I had read and heard about previous WDYs but was still not entirely sure what it was all about. Happy to say I was presently surprised.
If the British riots disaster is not to be replicated elsewhere, here is a manifesto of advice. Ignore it at your smug peril. Michael present a very worthy six point program to avoid the recent London riots.
For me, the most stirring and truly spiritual moment during the whole WYD experience was when the Blessed Sacrament was brought out for adoration during the Vigil. A total silence suddenly fell upon the entire place, mantling the huge airfield. It was a profoundly reverential silence, a kind of silence that deafened because it pierced not just through the ears but also through the soul, making everyone unable not to hear what it wanted to say.
