Recent events:
For information about recent school retreats, please select "what's on offer" and "schools".
On Saturday 6th December, a number of WYD pilgrims gave a beautiful concert along with musicians from Our Lady of Consolation. The fundraising concert raised over £800 to offset the debt accumulated due to a huge increase in airfares to Sydney for the WYD pilgrimage.
National event for young People
Gartmore House, 7th-8th November 2008
written by David Mathers (pictured, left hand side)
"The National event at Gartmore House was a really worthwile experience. It showed that World Youth Day in Sydney brought a lot of joy to people and everyone gained something from their time there.
The Weekend was great and the ceilidh was a good way to start the weekend, as it was a great chance to meet new people. I certainly find it very easy to make new freinds, which is definitely due to the time I spent in Austrlia meeting all diffrent kinds of people.
The following day was a great programme and the talk from Cardinal O Brien was a good start to the day. He certainly has a passion for young people.
It was encouraging to hear so many different stories from his travels and his thoughts on World Youth Day. The talk from Father MacManus was very uplifting and his feelings on self esteem were very postive. I took a lot from that especially from his different quotations on "who you are?" and you had to choose. I found that was a very postive way to look at yourself in life. I had a great overnight stay at Gartmore and the staff looked after us all very well."
WYD Reunion meeting
On Sunday 14th September, WYD pilgrims came to a reunion celebration at the Youth Pastoral Centre to reflect on their experience of the Pilgrimage.
The memories and experiences were varied, but to give you an idea, these are some of the powerful memories and experiences:
Stations of the Cross at Barangaroo;
The generosity of God's love to all through our group and the different countries and cultures represented;
Meeting so many new friends;
Overwhelmed with excitement at seeing the Holy Father;
Sleeping on the gym floor...I thought it would be awful, but it was really fun!
Unity of faith with so many other young people from around the world;
Commissioning Mass in Wollongong;
The Church is so big and worldwide;
Our repsonsibility to be a witness to the faith;
Since coming home, it has been a joy to share my WYD experience.
Prepilgrimage celebration for those attending
World Youth Day 2008:
Pilgrims attending World Youth Day in Sydney (8-23 July) came along to the Youth Pastoral Centre to celebrate Mass and were commissioned as this year's Diocesan representatives at the WYD celebration. Passports, money, tickets.....
Vigil of Pentecost:
The liturgy of the Vigil Mass of Pentecost proved a real inspiration to those who were able to take part. Having entered into the darkness of the evening, only the light of the Paschal candle could be seen. Beginning with a reminder and renewal in baptism, the assembly processed forward to the Easter water, to actively renew their belonging together to the body of Christ.
The liturgy of the Word (four Old Testement Readings followed by responsorial psalms and prayers) enabled the assembly to experience the Holy Spirit at work in the Word proclaimed. After each reading, torches were lit as representing the gifts of the Holy Spirit by some of the pilgrims who will attend World Youth Day in Sydney this summer!
As the Gloria was sung, the altar candles were lit from the light of the Paschal Candle and the Church lights lit up the building before the account of Pentecost from the Acts of the Apostles was proclaimed and reminded the assembly of the events which drew us together in celebration. After the homily, the dedication to the Holy Spirit helped us further reflect on the gifts given us by the Holy Spirit and the sense of how to use those gifts to renew the face of the earth!
The Liturgy of the Eucharist helped us celebrate our unity and all that has been experienced during the joy of the Easter Season.
Did you come along to the Vigil of Pentecost and would like to share your experience here? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at youth.pastoral@btconnect.com
Retreats
Retreat work with schools is not a new venture, but as part of the Youth Pastoral Programme for 2007-08 every secondary school in the Archdiocese of Glasgow was invited to take part in retreats offered by the Youth Pastoral Team. Having a new base at Our Lady of Consolation has allowed the team the opportunity to expand availability of retreats and have the experience of a day away from school to enjoy the experience. A good number of schools have already been in touch this session and the team have delivered retreats for different year groups at the centre, responding to their particular needs.
