<![CDATA[Archdiocese of Glasgow Youth Pastoral Team - News]]>Sat, 31 Mar 2012 06:39:52 +0000Weebly<![CDATA[World Youth Day 2012]]>Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:17:45 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2012/03/world-youth-day-2012.htmlPalm Sunday marks the 27th World Youth Day. Pope Benedict's letter is, as always, inspiring, affirming and thought-provoking:

Dear young friends,

I am happy to address you once more on the occasion of the 27th World Youth Day. The memory of our meeting in Madrid last August remains close to my heart. It was a time of extraordinary grace when God showered his blessings on the young people gathered from all over the world. I give thanks to God for all the fruits which that event bore, fruits which will surely multiply for young people and their communities in the future. Now we are looking forward to our next meeting in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, whose theme will be: “Go and make disciples of all nations!” (cf. Mt 28:19).


This year’s World Youth Day theme comes from Saint Paul’s exhortation in his Letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4). Joy is at the heart of Christian experience. At each World Youth Day we experience immense joy, the joy of communion, the joy of being Christian, the joy of faith. This is one of the marks of these gatherings. We can see the great attraction that joy exercises. In a world of sorrow and anxiety, joy is an important witness to the beauty and reliability of the Christian faith.

The Church’s vocation is to bring joy to the world, a joy that is authentic and enduring, the joy proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born (cf. Lk 2:10). Not only did God speak, not only did he accomplish great signs throughout the history of humankind, but he drew so near to us that he became one of us and lived our life completely. In these difficult times, so many young people all around you need to hear that the Christian message is a message of joy and hope! I would like to reflect with you on this joy and on how to find it, so that you can experience it more deeply and bring it to everyone you meet.





1. Our hearts are made for joy



A yearning for joy lurks within the heart of every man and woman. Far more than immediate and fleeting feelings of satisfaction, our hearts seek a perfect, full and lasting joy capable of giving “flavour” to our existence. This is particularly true for you, because youth is a time of continuous discovery of life, of the world, of others and of ourselves. It is a time of openness to the future and of great longing for happiness, friendship, sharing and truth, a time when we are moved by high ideals and make great plans.

Each day is filled with countless simple joys which are the Lord’s gift: the joy of living, the joy of seeing nature’s beauty, the joy of a job well done, the joy of helping others, the joy of sincere and pure love. If we look carefully, we can see many other reasons to rejoice. There are the happy times in family life, shared friendship, the discovery of our talents, our successes, the compliments we receive from others, the ability to express ourselves and to know that we are understood, and the feeling of being of help to others. There is also the excitement of learning new things, seeing new and broader horizons open up through our travels and encounters, and realizing the possibilities we have for charting our future. We might also mention the experience of reading a great work of literature, of admiring a masterpiece of art, of listening to or playing music, or of watching a film. All these things can bring us real joy.

Yet each day we also face any number of difficulties. Deep down we also worry about the future; we begin to wonder if the full and lasting joy for which we long might be an illusion and an escape from reality. Many young people ask themselves: is perfect joy really possible? The quest for joy can follow various paths, and some of these turn out to be mistaken, if not dangerous. How can we distinguish things that give real and lasting joy from immediate and illusory pleasures? How can we find true joy in life, a joy that endures and does not forsake us at moments of difficulty?

2. God is the source of true joy

Whatever brings us true joy, whether the small joys of each day or the greatest joys in life, has its source in God, even if this does not seem immediately obvious. This is because God is a communion of eternal love, he is infinite joy that does not remain closed in on itself, but expands to embrace all whom God loves and who love him. God created us in his image out of love, in order to shower his love upon us and to fill us with his presence and grace. God wants us to share in his own divine and eternal joy, and he helps us to see that the deepest meaning and value of our lives lie in being accepted, welcomed and loved by him. Whereas we sometimes find it hard to accept others, God offers us an unconditional acceptance which enables us to say: “I am loved; I have a place in the world and in history; I am personally loved by God. If God accepts me and loves me and I am sure of this, then I know clearly and with certainty that it is a good thing that I am alive”.

God’s infinite love for each of us is fully seen in Jesus Christ. The joy we are searching for is to be found in him. We see in the Gospel how the events at the beginning of Jesus’ life are marked by joy. When the Archangel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary that she is to be the mother of the Saviour, his first word is “Rejoice!” (Lk 1:28). When Jesus is born, the angel of the Lord says to the shepherds: “Behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Saviour has been born for you, who is Messiah and Lord” (Lk 2:10-11). When the Magi came in search of the child, “they were overjoyed at seeing the star” (Mt 2:10). The cause of all this joy is the closeness of God who became one of us. This is what Saint Paul means when he writes to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near” (Phil 4:4-5). Our first reason for joy is the closeness of the Lord, who welcomes me and loves me.

An encounter with Jesus always gives rise to immense inner joy. We can see this in many of the Gospel stories. We recall when Jesus visited Zacchaeus, a dishonest tax collector and public sinner, he said to him: “Today I must stay at your house”. Then, Saint Luke tells us, Zacchaeus “received him with joy” (Lk 19:5-6). This is the joy of meeting the Lord. It is the joy of feeling God’s love, a love that can transform our whole life and bring salvation. Zacchaeus decides to change his life and to give half of his possessions to the poor.

At the hour of Jesus’ passion, this love can be seen in all its power. At the end of his earthly life, while at supper with his friends, Jesus said: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love... I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn15:9,11). Jesus wants to lead his disciples and each one of us into the fullness of joy that he shares with the Father, so that the Father’s love for him might abide in us (cf. Jn 17:26). Christian joy consists in being open to God’s love and belonging to him.

The Gospels recount that Mary Magdalene and other women went to visit the tomb where Jesus had been laid after his death. An angel told them the astonishing news of Jesus’ resurrection. Then, the Evangelist tells us, they ran from the sepulchre, “fearful yet overjoyed” to share the good news with the disciples. Jesus met them on the way and said: “Peace!” (Mt 28:8-9). They were being offered the joy of salvation. Christ is the One who lives and who overcame evil, sin and death. He is present among us as the Risen One and he will remain with us until the end of the world (cf. Mt28:20). Evil does not have the last word in our lives; rather, faith in Christ the Saviour tells us that God’s love is victorious.

This deep joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit who makes us God’s sons and daughters, capable of experiencing and savouring his goodness, and calling him “Abba”, Father (cf. Rm 8:15). Joy is the sign of God’s presence and action within us.

3. Preserving Christian joy in our hearts
At this point we wonder: “How do we receive and maintain this gift of deep, spiritual joy?”

One of the Psalms tells us: “Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire” (Ps37:4). Jesus told us that “the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Mt 13:44). The discovery and preservation of spiritual joy is the fruit of an encounter with the Lord. Jesus asks us to follow him and to stake our whole life on him. Dear young people, do not be afraid to risk your lives by making space for Jesus Christ and his Gospel. This is the way to find inner peace and true happiness. It is the way to live fully as children of God, created in his image and likeness.

Seek joy in the Lord: for joy is the fruit of faith. It is being aware of his presence and friendship every day: “the Lord is near!” (Phil 4:5). It is putting our trust in God, and growing in his knowledge and love. Shortly we shall begin the “Year of Faith”, and this will help and encourage us. Dear friends, learn to see how God is working in your lives and discover him hidden within the events of daily life. Believe that he is always faithful to the covenant which he made with you on the day of your Baptism. Know that God will never abandon you. Turn your eyes to him often. He gave his life for you on the cross because he loves you. Contemplation of this great love brings a hope and joy to our hearts that nothing can destroy. Christians can never be sad, for they have met Christ, who gave his life for them.

To seek the Lord and find him in our lives also means accepting his word, which is joy for our hearts. The Prophet Jeremiah wrote: “When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart” (Jer 15:16). Learn to read and meditate on the sacred Scriptures. There you will find an answer to your deepest questions about truth. God’s word reveals the wonders that he has accomplished throughout human history, it fills us with joy, and it leads us to praise and adoration: “Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us kneel before the Lord who made us” (Ps 95:1,6).

The liturgy is a special place where the Church expresses the joy which she receives from the Lord and transmits it to the world. Each Sunday at Mass the Christian community celebrates the central mystery of salvation, which is the death and resurrection of Christ. This is a very important moment for all the Lord’s disciples because his sacrifice of love is made present. Sunday is the day when we meet the risen Christ, listen to his word, and are nourished by his body and blood. As we hear in one of the Psalms: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad” (Ps 118:24). At the Easter Vigil, the Church sings the Exultet, a hymn of joy for the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death: “Sing, choirs of angels! ... Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour ... Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!” Christian joy is born of this awareness of being loved by God who became man, gave his life for us and overcame evil and death. It means living a life of love for him. As Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, a young Carmelite, wrote: “Jesus, my joy is loving you” (P 45, 21 January 1897).

4. The joy of love
Dear friends, joy is intimately linked to love. They are inseparable gifts of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal5:23). Love gives rise to joy, and joy is a form of love. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta drew on Jesus’ words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) when she said: “Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls; God loves a cheerful giver. Whoever gives with joy gives more”. As the Servant of God Paul VI wrote: “In God himself, all is joy because all is giving” (Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete in Domino, 9 May 1975).

In every area of your life, you should know that to love means to be steadfast, reliable and faithful to commitments. This applies most of all to friendship. Our friends expect us to be sincere, loyal and faithful because true love perseveres even in times of difficulty. The same thing can be said about your work and studies and the services you carry out. Fidelity and perseverance in doing good brings joy, even if not always immediately.

If we are to experience the joy of love, we must also be generous. We cannot be content to give the minimum. We need to be fully committed in life and to pay particular attention to those in need. The world needs men and women who are competent and generous, willing to be at the service of the common good. Make every effort to study conscientiously, to develop your talents and to put them at the service of others even now. Find ways to help make society more just and humane wherever you happen to be. May your entire life be guided by a spirit of service and not by the pursuit of power, material success and money.

Speaking of generosity, I would like to mention one particular joy. It is the joy we feel when we respond to the vocation to give our whole life to the Lord. Dear young people, do not be afraid if Christ is calling you to the religious, monastic or missionary life or to the priesthood. Be assured that he fills with joy all those who respond to his invitation to leave everything to be with him and to devote themselves with undivided heart to the service of others. In the same way, God gives great joy to men and women who give themselves totally to one another in marriage in order to build a family and to be signs of Christ’s love for the Church.

Let me remind you of a third element that will lead you to the joy of love. It is allowing fraternal love to grow in your lives and in those of your communities. There is a close bond between communion and joy. It is not by chance that Saint Paul’s exhortation: “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4) is written in the plural, addressing the community as a whole, rather than its individual members. Only when we are together in the communion of fellowship do we experience this joy. In the Acts of the Apostles, the first Christian community is described in these words: “Breaking bread in their homes, they ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart” (Acts 2:46). I ask you to make every effort to help our Christian communities to be special places of sharing, attention and concern for one another.



5. The joy of conversion
Dear friends, experiencing real joy also means recognizing the temptations that lead us away from it. Our present-day culture often pressures us to seek immediate goals, achievements and pleasures. It fosters fickleness more than perseverance, hard work and fidelity to commitments. The messages it sends push a consumerist mentality and promise false happiness. Experience teaches us that possessions do not ensure happiness. How many people are surrounded by material possessions yet their lives are filled with despair, sadness and emptiness! To have lasting joy we need to live in love and truth. We need to live in God.

God wants us to be happy. That is why he gave us specific directions for the journey of life: the commandments. If we observe them, we will find the path to life and happiness. At first glance, they might seem to be a list of prohibitions and an obstacle to our freedom. But if we study them more closely, we see in the light of Christ’s message that the commandments are a set of essential and valuable rules leading to a happy life in accordance with God’s plan. How often, on the other hand, do we see that choosing to build our lives apart from God and his will brings disappointment, sadness and a sense of failure. The experience of sin, which is the refusal to follow God and an affront to his friendship, brings gloom into our hearts.

At times the path of the Christian life is not easy, and being faithful to the Lord’s love presents obstacles; occasionally we fall. Yet God in his mercy never abandons us; he always offers us the possibility of returning to him, being reconciled with him and experiencing the joy of his love which forgives and welcomes us back.

Dear young people, have frequent recourse to the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation! It is the sacrament of joy rediscovered. Ask the Holy Spirit for the light needed to acknowledge your sinfulness and to ask for God’s forgiveness. Celebrate this sacrament regularly, with serenity and trust. The Lord will always open his arms to you. He will purify you and bring you into his joy: for there is joy in heaven even for one sinner who repents (cf. Lk 15:7).

6. Joy at times of trial

In the end, though, we might still wonder in our hearts whether it is really possible to live joyfully amid all life’s trials, especially those which are most tragic and mysterious. We wonder whether following the Lord and putting our trust in him will always bring happiness.

We can find an answer in some of the experiences of young people like yourselves who have found in Christ the light that can give strength and hope even in difficult situations. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) experienced many trials during his short life, including a romantic experience that left him deeply hurt. In the midst of this situation he wrote to his sister: “You ask me if I am happy. How could I not be? As long as faith gives me strength, I am happy. A Catholic could not be other than happy... The goal for which we were created involves a path which has its thorns, but it is not a sad path. It is joy, even when it involves pain” (Letter to his sister Luciana, Turin, 14 February 1925). When Blessed John Paul II presented Blessed Pier Giorgio as a model for young people, he described him as “a young person with infectious joy, the joy that overcame many difficulties in his life” (Address to Young People, Turin, 13 April 1980).

Closer to us in time is Chiara Badano (1971-1990), who was recently beatified. She experienced how pain could be transfigured by love and mysteriously steeped in joy. At the age of eighteen, while suffering greatly from cancer, Chiara prayed to the Holy Spirit and interceded for the young people of the movement to which she belonged. As well as praying for her own cure, she asked God to enlighten all those young people by his Spirit and to give them wisdom and light. “It was really a moment of God’s presence. I was suffering physically, but my soul was singing” (Letter to Chiara Lubich, Sassello, 20 December 1989). The key to her peace and joy was her complete trust in the Lord and the acceptance of her illness as a mysterious expression of his will for her sake and that of everyone. She often said: “Jesus, if you desire it, then I desire it too”.

These are just two testimonies taken from any number of others which show that authentic Christians are never despairing or sad, not even when faced with difficult trials. They show that Christian joy is not a flight from reality, but a supernatural power that helps us to deal with the challenges of daily life. We know that the crucified and risen Christ is here with us and that he is a faithful friend always. When we share in his sufferings, we also share in his glory. With him and in him, suffering is transformed into love. And there we find joy (cf. Col 1:24).





7. Witnesses of joy



Dear friends, to conclude I would encourage you to be missionaries of joy. We cannot be happy if others are not. Joy has to be shared. Go and tell other young people about your joy at finding the precious treasure which is Jesus himself. We cannot keep the joy of faith to ourselves. If we are to keep it, we must give it away. Saint John said: “What we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; we are writing this so that our joy may be complete” (1 Jn 1:3-4).



Christianity is sometimes depicted as a way of life that stifles our freedom and goes against our desires for happiness and joy. But this is far from the truth. Christians are men and women who are truly happy because they know that they are not alone. They know that God is always holding them in his hands. It is up to you, young followers of Christ, to show the world that faith brings happiness and a joy which is true, full and enduring. If the way Christians live at times appears dull and boring, you should be the first to show the joyful and happy side of faith. The Gospel is the “good news” that God loves us and that each of us is important to him. Show the world that this is true!



Be enthusiastic witnesses of the new evangelization! Go to those who are suffering and those who are searching, and give them the joy that Jesus wants to bestow. Bring it to your families, your schools and universities, and your workplaces and your friends, wherever you live. You will see how it is contagious. You will receive a hundredfold: the joy of salvation for yourselves, and the joy of seeing God’s mercy at work in the hearts of others. And when you go to meet the Lord on that last day, you will hear him say: “Well done, my good and faithful servant... Come, share your master’s joy” (Mt 25:21).



May the Blessed Virgin Mary accompany you on this journey. She welcomed the Lord within herself and proclaimed this in a song of praise and joy, the Magnificat: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Lk 1:46-47). Mary responded fully to God’s love by devoting her life to him in humble and complete service. She is invoked as “Cause of our Joy” because she gave us Jesus. May she lead you to that joy which no one will ever be able to take away from you!



From the Vatican, 15 March 2012

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

]]><![CDATA[Lent 2012]]>Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:16:55 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2012/02/lent-2012.html
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Although the Youth Pastoral Team isn't offering a Lenten programme this year, there's still lots of things you can do to grow in Faith as we journey to Easter.

Lent is the perfect time to turn back to God and make a fresh start.  Watch out for news of Lenten services and the Sacrament of Reconciliation in your parish, school, or chaplaincy.  Our Google Map can help you find your way.  There might also be Stations of the Cross organised, or you can pray them yourself in any church - just ask for help if you need it.  Don't forget that it's Christ's example we try to follow!

Glasgow's very own Lentfest 2012 promises to be bigger and better than ever.  Look out for the play "The Martrydom of St. John Ogilvie" which opens on his feast day (Saturday 10th March) then tours around the Archdiocese.  Two other events are especially geared towards young people: the film premiere of "Doonby" at the Inner Light Film Festival (Saturday 3rd March), and fire.cloud's "1000 hearts" in Clydebank and Dennistoun (Monday 19th March).

If you read anything this Lent, Pope Benedict's message is full of wisdom and helps us reflect on the true meaning of charity.  Why not follow the Pope on Twitter throughout this season?  @pope2youvatican gets daily tweets direct from His Holiness himself.

As for bitesize inspiration on the go, Busted Halo's "Fast Pray Give" calendar has something for every day until Easter.  (It's like an Advent calendar... except it's for Lent.  And there's no chocolate.)  Bookmark it on your phone or computer!  There are also thoughts for the day from the Archdiocese, which you can access by liking on Facebook (/ArchdioceseofGlasgow) or following on Twitter (@ArchdiocGlasgow).

Don't forget that money saved by all that fasting and abstaining is no longer yours... it belongs in the hands of those who need it most.  Lent is more than a second chance to keep New Year's Resolutions!  Find out what SCIAF will do with the contents of your Wee Box this Lent - it all adds up.

Fasting - prayer - almsgiving: make sure you get a bit of everything!  Happy Lent!
]]><![CDATA[WYD 2013 logo revealed!]]>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:39:19 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2012/02/wyd-2013-logo-revealed.htmlPicture
Last night in 2013 host city Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the winning design in the official logo contest was revealed - the fruit of a young man's faith and prayer.

Gustavo Huguenin, a 25 year-old graphic designer from Cantagalo just outside Rio, said it was an "attitude of faith" that led him to enter the competition, and "by the grace of God" that his logo was chosen.

The image will now be used all over the world in preparation for next year's gathering with the Holy Father, and feature prominently at the event itself.  It reflects the theme "Go, make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19).

Read Gustavo's inspiring story here and see below for a close up and explanation of his design.
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To participate in World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (!) next summer, see our World Youth Day page for more details and speak to your parish priest NOW!
]]><![CDATA[Prayers for students!]]>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:40 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2012/01/prayers-for-students.html
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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.
]]><![CDATA[Plugging on...]]>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:02:56 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2012/01/plugging-on.html...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!
]]><![CDATA[Young people and cloths for the cradle]]>Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:45:33 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2011/12/young-people-and-cloths-for-the-cradle.html 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.
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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.
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1.5 million young people await the arrival of the Holy Father to the prayer vigil at Cuatro Vientos, World Youth Day 2011

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.

Photo credits: GJ Canave, WYD pilgrim

[This article also appears in the Archdiocesan booklet "Journey through Advent", available from your parish!]
]]><![CDATA[More from the National Youth Event...]]>Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:18:23 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2011/11/more-from-the-national-youth-event.html 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.

]]><![CDATA[CYSS National Youth Event 2011: Finding Life's Purpose]]>Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:04:04 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2011/11/cyss-national-youth-event-2011-finding-lifes-purpose1.html
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[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.
]]><![CDATA[Archbishop Conti meets with WYD pilgrims]]>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:54:34 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2011/10/archbishop-conti-meets-with-wyd-pilgrims.htmlPicture

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!
]]><![CDATA[Our hearts are made for love!]]>Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:49:06 +0000http://www.rcagyouth.org.uk/1/post/2011/09/our-hearts-are-made-for-love.html
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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!"
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