Archdiocese of Glasgow Youth Pastoral Team

This Saturday, 28th January, is the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas.

St. Thomas is patron saint of students and a powerful intercessor.

Across the Archdiocese at this time, many young people are preparing for and sitting prelim exams. They need your prayers, and those of St. Thomas! Please pray for them through his intercession in the coming days, and remember them especially on Saturday, his feast day.

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!

Photo credit: Praying Hands by Flickr user joethorn, shared under Creative Commons licence.

...with the youth ministry consultation

It's all go with the Youth Pastoral Team these days, as we've been working our socks off on the youth ministry consultation which we hope will bear great fruit in the future!

Round and about the Archdiocese, from Cumbernauld to Carnwadric and Barlanark to Bearsden and beyond, we've been hearing from priests, parishioners, teachers, parents, and of course young people themselves, about the joys and struggles of being Catholic today.

Thank you if you've already participated and shared your views with us!  There's still time to send in your comments: email youth.pastoral@btconnect.com.

...on Facebook / Twitter

In the meantime, follow us on Facebook and like us on Twitter for all the latest news, as they're often first to be updated.

...sharing inspirational images of Catholic life

Don't miss the Archdiocese's new Flickr page for albums that will continue to grow as a witness to the vibrancy of our Faith.

...and looking ahead to WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 - in BRAZIL!

If you're aged 17 ish* and are thinking about participating in World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro (well, why wouldn't you be? - it's going to be awesome!) speak to your parish priest NOW to register interest.  All initial applications MUST be made through your parish or chaplaincy.  If you're not sure who to contact, check out our Google Map of the Archdiocese.  We can also point you in the right direction or give you more details about what's involved in being a WYD pilgrim.

* WYD pilgrims must be aged 18-30 on 1st July 2013

...

Well that's all for now.  Let's keep praying for one another!

Advent is the season during which we prepare to welcome God incarnate into our midst.  This includes looking closely at our lives and those of our communities, and taking stock of our willingness to “prepare a way” and make a home for God-with-us.  Each moment spent in reflection, each opportunity for prayer, adds a cloth to the cradle which stands ready for the coming of the Lord at Christmas.

It is not only the Lord for whom we must make space and prepare a welcome in our hearts and homes.  Advent is a fitting time to reflect on how we do this for others in our families and parish communities.  We meet Christ in one another through the Baptism we share and by which we are called beloved sons and daughters of the Father.  We recognise in one another the spark of Faith which is to be fanned into flame, shining as a light into the darkness of our world.

Young people from the Archdiocese of Glasgow pilgrimage group relaxing at World Youth Day 2011

The Youth Pastoral Team invites you to consider especially how you do this for the young people in your family and parish.  All of us need encouragement, need to be welcomed anew by others into the spaces which are our homes and parishes: young people are no different.  All of us need to be challenged, need opportunities to grow in our Faith and share it with others: young people are no different.  All of us are called to serve God and one another, discover our vocation and live it out with fidelity to the Gospel: young people are no different.  When others, especially young people, are missing, we all lose out.

If today your light is dimmed, your cloths torn, your bonds of communion incomplete or strained, take the opportunity that Advent offers to prepare a way not only for the Lord, but for the young people in your family and parish.  Prepare a way – to be surprised, enlivened, challenged, enriched, by the giftedness of young people around you.  Ask yourself, and ask them, “how can I make you welcome?”  Sometimes all it takes is a smile, an invitation, or a word of encouragement, for young people to be more present with us.

The Youth Pastoral Team is currently engaged in a period of consultation with the whole Archdiocese as to how we do this best, in order to plan effectively for the future of pastoral care of young people through diocesan initiatives.  We ourselves have received much encouragement from parishes, schools, and young people alike as we travel around, hearing of their efforts to be more welcoming and open to each other.  It is our task to collate these responses and reflect on our specific mission in service to the Archdiocese.

We ask that as you contribute to this discussion you also take the opportunity during Advent to reflect on the welcome you offer as an individual and as a parish.  Call out again to prepare a way in the wilderness!  Laying cloths of prayer and openness to one another we can offer the Lord a warm cradle in which to lay His head this Christmas.

[This article also appears in the Archdiocesan booklet "Journey through Advent", available from your parish!]

Fellow delegate Sean Reid adds his review of the National Youth Event:

The first that struck me about Gartmore House was its remoteness – perfect for peaceful reflection on the theme of this year’s event, Finding Life’s Purpose.

On Friday evening we heard from Fr Alex Davie about his journey to priesthood, recalling some of the challenges he encountered discerning that path and the challenges he’s experienced since becoming a priest.  More than that, he explained how he had found his way through them.

After Fr Alex’s talk we had the hotly-contested quiz, in which I am happy to announce the diocesan team “Super Mario Brothers” (and sister!) came a respectable joint second.  After the boisterous atmosphere of the quiz we moved to a time of quiet adoration and Night Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

After a comfortable and peaceful night’s sleep, and Morning Prayer, we gathered to welcome the vocations panel.  This comprised six Catholics from different walks of life, ranging from priests, deacons, and teachers to those who represent the Church in political life.  Questions and answers followed.  Then Cardinal O’Brien delivered his keynote address entitled “Finding Life’s Purpose: being a young Catholic in 21st Century Scotland”.

We split into groups to consider and respond to what we had heard.  Firstly, an Emmaus walk with another delegate to get to know their faith story a little better, then larger groups to construct an image of a young Catholic in 21st Century Scotland and present this to whole group.

To end the National Youth Event, Cardinal O’Brien presided at Mass which included music prepared by a number of delegates.

Overall I found this event to be extremely beneficial on a spiritual level.  I also enjoyed having the opportunity to share with other young Catholics and to hear about their experiences.

[Photo credit: Paul McSherry]

Four young adults from the 2011 World Youth Day pilgrimage group represented the Archdiocese of Glasgow at this year's National Youth Event organised by Catholic Youth Service Scotland, which took place at the start of November.

One participant, Martin Ramage, reports back about his experience:

Having never been to the National Youth Event, I approached it with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Despite my initial scepticism about making the journey to the remote location of Gartmore in Stirlingshire, on arrival I found Gartmore House, the 18th Century country mansion-cum-conference centre, to be the perfect setting for a short break centred on peaceful prayer and reflection.

The theme for this year’s event was ‘Finding Life’s Purpose’, and after sitting down to a sumptuous three course dinner, we listened to the first of a series of speakers at the event, Father Alex Davie, who reflected on his (often colourful) path to the priesthood. This was followed by a general knowledge quiz which turned out to be a fun and relaxed way of socialising. The evening ended with Eucharistic Adoration and Night Prayer in one of the most comfortable and hospitable rooms in the conference centre.

At daybreak the next morning, we were able to appreciate the breathtaking scenery of the grounds, before heading downstairs for breakfast and Morning Prayer. We then listened to the biographic presentations of a vocations panel comprised of six Catholics from different walks of life, after which Cardinal O’Brien, the Episcopal President of CYSS, addressed the gathering, challenging us to further ponder in our hearts God’s vocation for us. Lunch was preceded by a time for reflection, both individual and group, and a group activity on what it means to be a Catholic in the 21st Century. After lunch, the final Mass was concelebrated by Cardinal O’Brien and several priests with the assistance of some deacons.

In conclusion, I would describe the National Youth Event as memorable and spiritually-nourishing, the highlight being meeting other young Catholics from around the country. My only regret is that it ended so soon!

Find out more about Catholic Youth Service Scotland at www.cyss.org.uk.

Archbishop Conti is meeting with all WYD 2011 pilgrims this Friday, 14th October, at 7.30pm at the Youth Pastoral Centre.  If you were there, in the Archdiocesan group or another, you're very welcome to this special event.  Let's come together and share our experiences of being in Madrid with the Holy Father!

On this day last year Pope Benedict led 80,000 people - among them many young people - in silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Hyde Park, London. It was one of the most powerful moments of the Papal Visit and one which the Pope has said touched him deeply.

All this week on Facebook, in addition to recalling the Holy Father's time in the UK in 2010, we've been marking Vocations Awareness Week. Each of us has a vocation, a call from God. Some would say it's "the dream God has written on your heart".

www.priestsforscotland.org.uk exists to help you hear and respond to that call, with tools to aid your discernment. Lay apostolate, marriage, Religious life, or priesthood, Priests for Scotland (despite the name!) is the place to find out more.

Ask those who know you best: "What could I be called to?" Visit the Blessed Sacrament in the coming week and listen for the voice of the One who created you, who has written that dream. After all, as Pope Benedict told us, "our hearts are made for love!"

We welcome Marie Cooke who has joined us here in the Youth Pastoral Team.

Check back next week to find out all about her!

Glasgow's WYD team have returned and are eager to share their experience of participating as part of the million and half strong crowd who greeted Pope Benedict in Madrid. Check out our World Youth Day section on the tab above to see how things progressed.