Being A Young Catholic Today

Ruth, 21, Castlerigg Manor: Sailing the Ocean

When I am sailing, and it is just the boat and me and the wind and the weather, it is hard to forget God. I learnt to sail when I was 14, at a time when I was unhappy at school, and hand in hand with my faith, dinghy sailing saved me, giving me something to look forward to each weekend. From the age of 18 to 20 I was a full time watersports instructor, and the Gospel passage of Jesus Calming the Storm came to mind a lot during frightening moments in high winds and rain when teaching. “Jesus, please just make it stop!” I used to pray, when yet another boat on my course had capsized and waves were breaking over the bow of my powerboat. I love sailing in all weathers, both with wind and without wind. The exhilaration of being out in the raw elements, the speed and the adrenaline that produces, cannot fail to make me praise God. I rarely sing. There are only two times when I do: while at Mass, and when sailing.  Sailing without wind, in the peace and calm of floating on a still lake helps me reflect and thank God. To pray whilst experiencing God’s creation is amazing. For me, sport and my faith dovetail perfectly, and I could not separate the two. 

Alice, 20, Grimsargh: Accepting faith and science

My name is Alice and I’m in my third year at the University of East Anglia. I have always been a Catholic but, before I came to University, going to Mass every Sunday was not a choice: my siblings and I were expected to go. Since coming to University I have made the choice to carry on going to Mass and to get involved with the Catholic Chaplaincy here at UEA. Having made the choice to go makes it feel more special to me and makes me feel more confident in my beliefs. I am studying Molecular Biology and Genetics which means that every day I am surrounded by Science and Scientists. Many people find it difficult to comprehend that Catholicism and science can come hand in hand and my beliefs are often challenged. I feel, however, that the constant need to defend my faith has only made it stronger. I have made an effort to learn more about Catholicism and to understand better the beliefs. I was told before I started here that everyone finds their place at University and there is always somewhere you will fit in. This is certainly true for me here at UEA where the Catholic Chaplaincy has been an important part of my life at University. In a predominantly secular environment you will always find a friendly face and a willing ear in the chaplaincy and there is a vibrant Catholic community with many people at different stages of their faith. I owe a lot to the Chaplaincy here and, in the hope of giving something back to them, I have taken on the role this year of the President of the Catholic Society here at UEA. In this role I hope I can give other people the same support as I have received during my time here.


Daniel, 20, Grimsargh: The fascincation of faith

My name is Dan and I am now in my third and final year of a degree in History and Economics at SOAS in Central London.  I am from a Catholic family and have previously been involved with a lot of Diocesan activities, travelling to World Youth Day, Lourdes and Medjugorje over the past few years. During my first year at university I lived in a large inter-collegiate accommodation block.  While my overall experience on leaving home and moving into university accommodation was relatively comfortable, I found that my Catholicism was received with surprise and scepticism.  I feel that the idea of Catholicism held by many young people is a caricature entirely ungrounded in truth, and I often found myself defending against this.  Issues such as abortion and marriage became a particular point of debate.   While my faith did not form a central part of my academic life during my first year of study, I still felt able to express this and never felt any hostility from others towards it as such.  I continued to attend Mass and visited Lourdes and Medjugorje in the summer after my first year. My experience at my university itself has been an unequivocally positive one.  Last year I took the role of the President of our (fledgling) Catholic Society, whose events were well received and fully supported by our Union.  Being a part of the Society and visiting the University Chaplaincy at Gower Street has helped me to maintain a connection with my faith during my time here.  As I have continued on in my studies, I have found great pleasure in being able to delve further in to my faith through the works of writers in the Catholic intellectual tradition, and in my studies I have found a foundation for my own opinions in Catholic social teaching.  I must note that my University is renowned for its tolerance, diversity, and multiculturalism, and as such a huge variety of religious practice is welcomed on campus without prejudice or conflict.  I am aware that my own university experience has been far removed from the type of student life found elsewhere, which I suspect may well be much more hostile to religious sentiments.  What I perceive among my own friendship group is that young people find questions of religion intensely interesting, and are certainly not ignorant of it, but rather are intent on questioning and developing their own faith.  For some this has meant increased involvement in church groups, for others this has meant a choice to move away from groups they no longer feel provide what they are looking for.  As I near the end of my course, I would now, in truth, describe my relationship with Catholicism as a conflicted one.  Ultimately, while at heart my own values will always be informed by my Catholic faith and upbringing, I have found myself increasingly uncomfortable with elements of Church teaching. 


Sophie, 18, Lancaster University: Beyond Freshers Week

Hi, I’m Sophie and I am a first year at Lancaster University. Starting university has to be the most daunting experience of my life so far. However I can safely say my faith has played a very important role in settling into my new life. Having always been at Catholic schools, although some people weren’t practising Catholics, it was not like university where many people have never experienced religion having any part in their lives. Freshers’ Week was a little shocking and it’s surprising how many times late-night conversations in the pub have turned to ‘What do you actually do in Mass?’ and the shock when my friends find out I get up at 10am on a Sunday. At first I was unsure whether I wanted people to know if I was Catholic, but to hide my faith would be hiding a really important part of me, having experienced something as amazing this year as World Youth Day I realised it was much more important to be myself and let my new friends know who I really am. The Catholic Society at university has turned into something I honestly look forward to each week, it has been such a great help to know there is actually a large group around me that share the same beliefs and don’t mind talking about their faith. I had to laugh when one of my new friends saw rosary beads in my room and I said I was going on retreat and he assumed therefore I’m joining a convent once I’ve finished uni. It’s nice now that they understand my beliefs and are genuinely interested in the Church.

  Becky, 19, Bispham

Hi, I’m Becky and I’m studying French and Russian at St Andrews in Scotland. Before starting University I was incredibly nervous; moving hundreds of miles to a new town with thousands of new people was a daunting prospect and I couldn’t see how faith and student life could work together. However, within days of arriving in St Andrews I realised how wrong I had been. I thought having faith may isolate me from my peers, yet it was faith which helped me to settle in during that crucial first week. The Catholic Society at St Andrews is fantastic, and through it I have met some amazing people who have inspired me to truly be myself at university. Not everything has been easy; it is very tempting to have a lie-in on Sunday mornings! I enjoy explaining the reasons for my beliefs and discussing them with my non-Catholic friends. Prayer at university is very different, life is hectic and initially I struggled to make space in my day for God. However I soon noticed the effects that lack of quiet prayer had on my life. I now make sure to pray more regularly, not just when I am at Church. Prayer allows me to pace my days, to take a step back and to keep my focus on the Lord. During the past three months the Church has been a wonderful constant in my life and has helped me to overcome the inevitable struggles with homesickness.  I have learnt that faith cannot simply disappear; it not only endures the trials and changes life can bring but grows stronger with time and, if nurtured, it too gives us strength and hope. 

 

Michael, 20, Lancaster: Green Hero!

“I was invited to go to Lourdes through my local church in 2009 as a Youth helper. This has given me the opportunity to meet other Catholics of my age group who I have made friends with. I have felt isolated at times and found this has given me more confidence. My faith has grown more through meeting young Catholics and I hope to continue in the future.” Michael has been involved in all sorts of things with the Youth Service and even managed to muscle his way to the front of the million-strong crowd in Madrid to be close to the Pope at World Youth Day. His determination has undoubtedly led to him being named ‘Volunteer of the Year’ by the British Trust for Conservation, the UK’s leading practical conservation charity. The BTCV website explains how Michael has been deaf since birth and has made a 52 mile round-trip to undertake environmental volunteering, developing a new social life, practical skills and new pastimes and passions. He’s also now learning to speak after having a cochlear implant and one day hopes to set up a dry stone walling business. BTCV Senior Project Officer Rachel Miller, who nominated Michael, said: “Michael’s deafness led him to become isolated and depressed, and made it difficult for him to make friends. Months of unemployment and constant job hunting, with no success, had undermined his confidence and left him feeling helpless and unvalued. His can-do attitude, where there are no barriers, has been an example to us all.”

Rob, 16, St Anne’s: Built up in Christ, firm in faith.

Before I went on World Youth Day in Madrid this summer I had my reservations about whether I was going to make new friends and be able to socialise in a whole new environment.  However as soon as I boarded that coach I suddenly felt comfortable with all 50 people as I knew we all had something in common; our faith! After the first couple of hours I had fitted in really well, all the pilgrims made me feel at home and looked after me as I was one of the youngest members of the diocese. Experiencing World Youth Day was life changing. I had gone from being the minority at high school and in my circle of friends to one of two million young Catholics descending on Madrid! “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith”, the World Youth Day motto brings a lot of meaning to me and I see it now as a way to live my life. I’m so glad that God called me to go to World Youth Day. Spending so much time with these other young Catholics and growing in our closeness and family atmosphere, we have all helped each other grow as people, more confident, more comfortable with God.


Nora, 19, Grimsargh: Being Catholic in Malia

These words were not something you heard on my recent holiday to Malia this summer, and it is something that I found very difficult to be. My friend and I decided that we would go on a holiday together to relax and spend some time together before we both headed off to different universities. So we went into Thomas Cook, where we said we were looking for a relaxing holiday, near the beach where there would be lots of young people and a good night life. So it was recommended that we go to Malia in Crete with Thomas Cook’s Club 18-30. When I told some of my friends and family where I was going, the general response was “You’re going with 18-30s?” in a shocked tone. I had never heard of ‘Club 18-30’  before and was confused by many people’s response. However as soon as we arrived in Malia it was soon revealed to me. We arrived off the aeroplane and were greeted by a Thomas Cook representative and put on a coach to our hotel, we were staying in a Club 18-30s hotel so our coach was entirely young people, and the first thing we heard was that everybody has sex in Malia; me and my friend were shocked and very worried about what we had signed up for. Upon arrival at the hotel, the conversation stayed on the same topic and we were introduced to Club 18-30 activities and we signed up to go to a beach party and a boat party and were looking forward to them. The two activities were based on getting very drunk, sex, and playing vile games, where making people sick was “good humoured fun”. At night time the attitude of the people in the clubs was that people came to Malia with one thing in mind – they wanted sex – and “No” was not an answer that they appreciated nor heard very often. The responses I got when I said this were a real shock to me and really disappointing, “Why would you come to Malia if you don’t want to have sex?” “Nobody has said No to me all week!” “Everybody bangs in Malia.” I was disappointed that I had gone on holiday to have a good time with my friend, but everyone expects something from you and it was not possible to be left alone to enjoy your night. I’m so glad that the holiday fell when it did, just two days after my return from World Youth Day in Madrid, which was an amazing experience for me and really set me firm in my faith. I feel that had it not, the holiday and the small word “No” would have been a much bigger challenge for me.


Sarah, 18, Kirkham: The best summer ever!

As well as attending both World Youth Day and the Big Walk, I also went on the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. In all honesty, devoting my whole summer to pilgrimages wasn’t what I’d had in mind for Summer 2011. All my friends were off to Benidorm and other places on their girls holidays, and I was trying to prepare myself for a month of church… Like all young Catholics at some points I find it hard staying committed, especially surrounded by so many people who just don’t understand. I’ve been raised as part of a wonderful Catholic family, but outside the home, in college and at work, I find that being Catholic and having a faith wasn’t as common as I’d thought. The past summer has been my best summer yet, however, as Father Phil said to me as he stood in the middle of the Lake District absolutely soaked from the torrential rain, in the middle of the word ‘pilgrimage’ is the word ‘grim’! The torrential rain in Lourdes, blistering heat in Madrid, the overnight papal vigil and hurricane Katia on the Big Walk have certainly pushed me to my limits, but being surrounded by the fabulous youth from across the diocese, and being in such incredible places (despite the weather), I’ve never felt so alive and so close to God.


Thomas, 16, Whitehaven: Listening to the Call

Being a Catholic has played a major part in my life, and I have strived to attain spiritual growth. One story from the Bible which has always meant alot to me is the story where a young boy Samuel is asleep one evening in the house of the priest Eli. A voice calls Samuel, and the little boy thinks that the priest had called for him. After a few occurrences of this incident, Eli explains that it was God calling Samuel. This is a very direct way that God’s call is shown to us; God’s call may not be loud like our mobile phones. It may vibrate; meaning we have to feel and search for the truth within God’s call, or perhaps silent, where we have to be open and keep an eye on God’s plan and journey for us. I am very proud to be part of a faith that asks us to reflect, question, pray and humble ourselves in service to our Lord Jesus Christ. My background has very much helped my faith and I have been an Altar Server to this day. As an Altar Server I have been very lucky to serve at some very prestigious occasions including my Dad’s ordination to the Permanent Diaconate, Belmont Abbeys 150th Anniversary celebrated by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, and serving at the International Mass in Lourdes. I have been an Altar Server for 8 years now. A couple of months ago I was commissioned as a Eucharistic Minister, and a Knight of St Columba, two very proud occasions in my growing as a young Catholic and to which my family were also very proud. I would like to encourage all young people to pray for guidance in our future decisions, and to be open to God’s will, as God will never shut the door to us. In a world where young people are portrayed in such a poor manner, we must gain strength and encouragement from the Holy Spirit, as the youth have so many gifts and talents, that society may miss out on the opportunities that they offer.


Lucy, 19, Preston

I’ve always been brought up a Catholic but I don’t think I realised how it affected me in every aspect of my life until I reached university, the first place I was not in a Catholic school or college and not surrounded every day by people sharing a similar outlook on life. I think university has given me the opportunity to be more open about my faith and see how my friends there that have not been raised Catholic view and challenge the beliefs I hold. Within the diocese possibly one of the best opportunities I’ve had over the past 3 years is to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes. Each year is completely different but still incredible and the people I’ve meet there, both old and young, have become good friends. By spending time with the VIP’s, the youth, the adult leaders and the priests, the time we spend in Lourdes becomes a completely unique experience and one which always encourages me to come back next year.

 

Matthew, 15, Whitehaven

Hi, I’m Matthew. I’m 15 years old and live in Whitehaven. I was introduced to Faith from a very young age by my dad. My dad saw the importance of taking me to church every week and wherever possible to other events as well. Naturally from this I grew up loving God, and listened to his teachings through the Church.  After a while I started to learn the Violin and me and dad, along with a then large music group led the music in St.Beghs Church in Whitehaven, where we still do. I had a very big Numinous Experience during my first trip to Lourdes in Southern France at the age of 7. During my stay in Lourdes, I was invited along with two others to pray the rosary in English to lots of People. As I looked out among the vast amount of people, I realised that God was among us. I was very scared to go and speak in front of people, but I believe it was the Holy Spirit that gave me the courage to speak on that day. This was just one of many experiences on that trip that made me that there was a God and that he loves us. There have been many inspirational figures in my life that have helped me with my faith, for example, My Dad was the first main inspirational person. He gave me opportunities, such as Lourdes, that helped me to know God. His own faith led him to the deaconate, and because of this my faith we often are involved in more and more Masses and services, which has given me more opportunity to communicate with God.

 

Becky, 18, Bispham: Alive Again

Hello! My name’s Becky and I am currently on a gap year at Castlerigg Manor. This year I have had many incredible opportunities to deepen my faith. I spent the Easter Triduum on retreat at Craig Lodge in Dalmally in Scotland; it is a beautiful place filled with wonderful people, and a donkey called Nell. A country house in the middle of nowhere was the perfect place for me to take some time out with a few other members of the team. I really didn’t know what to expect as we arrived, but we received a warm welcome and instantly felt at home. Over the weekend, the talks, liturgies and prayer times helped us all to connect with the Lord’s passion. For me, it became ‘real’ for the first time. Watching The Passion of the Christ on Good Friday evening had a huge impact on me, as did the Stations of the Cross which we prayed whilst walking up the hill. However, it was Holy Saturday that marked a great turning point. It was just an amazing day; I could feel a real change within myself.  I was starting to understand and experience my faith in a different way. In the afternoon, the team had prepared a drama around the garden – a live stations of the cross. I was a little confused at first, when Pilate told me I was condemned to death, and I wasn’t really sure what to do. As I was dragged to the cross I started to get quite nervous. I was placed in front of it and then, I saw a figure walk towards me, a man playing Jesus, who said he was going to take my place. It was so moving and powerful. Through it, I found a deeper sense of the intensity of God’s love for each one of us. The Vigil that night was fantastic, a truly joyous experience. The music was so beautiful and uplifting, I could feel the whole tent come alive. The celebrations continued late into the night with a ceilidh and some very tasty food!

Over the weekend I met loads of other young Catholics who were really inspirational and I can already feel the impact Craig Lodge has had on my life and work at Castlerigg. The whole Triduum was full of emotion – I definitely lived it and felt it more than I have ever done before. Christ’s passion, his descent to the dead and his glorious resurrection became real for me, and through it all I found a new sense of life!

 

Chloe, 19, Carlisle: Time of Grace

Chloe Warburton, 19, St Augustine’s Carlisle

I had believed in God all my life. Although not a church-goer, my faith had remained constant through all the ups and downs. Three years ago I started going to St Augustine’s Church in Carlisle with my boyfriend, Adam. The parish priest, Father Geoffrey Steel and all the parishioners were so welcoming and I felt at home there almost straightaway. From then onwards, I attended church and parish events regularly and I became an active member of the St Vincent de Paul Society. Through this time, my faith grew and grew, and the church became a huge part of my life. Last summer, Adam and I decided to go on the Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. This experience proved to be for me something of an epiphany; I loved being there for the disabled pilgrims and helping them make the most out of this amazing experience. The inexpressible holiness of Lourdes was inspiring to me, and it was in Lourdes, by the side of a lake, that I first spoke to Father Phil Conner about becoming a Catholic. In September of last year, Adam and I became students at the University of Nottingham, and members of the Catholic Society there, a society of which I am now Charities Officer. Over the past two semesters at university, I began preparations to be received into the church and, on 9th April this year, I was received into the Church in my beloved parish, St Augustine’s. It was a wonderful day! I felt so blessed to have my family and friends around me, and have the love and support of so many people who have been there for me on my faith journey so far.

 

Sophie, 20, Castlerigg Manor: a cup of tea with the Lord!

Hello I am Sophie! I am from Wakefield in Yorkshire and as many of the young people find out at Castlerigg Manor I like ‘drinking tea and making dresses’. I am currently working as a gap year volunteer at Castlerigg and loving every minute of it. My faith has always been very important to me which has always been encouraged by being brought up in a loving Catholic family. I started to take my faith more seriously in my teens as I started to get more involved with the lively youth event held at Leeds Cathedral. This gave me the opportunity to meet so many more young Catholics yearning to learn more about the Catholic faith in a fun way. Having a strong network of Catholic friends has really helped me to learn more about my faith and to help others. I started to help out on my local Parish Confirmation course as a catechist and wherever else I could to start getting more involved. I have been really fortunate that I have had the opportunity to go on pilgrimages to Walsingham, Lourdes, Chestohova and Medjugorje in my life. These Marian pilgrimages have also helped to shape my faith into what it is today. I love going on pilgrimages and retreats as they offer me a wonderful opportunity to step out of the busyness of day-to-day life, and take some extra special time to grow closer to God in new ways. I have recently attended the ‘Lifted’ weekend retreat in Harrogate organized by Youth 2000, an initiative set up and run by young people to share their faith and bring others to the heart of our faith. The retreat was based in a school and so in true Youth 2000 style there was some camping but inside thankfully as we all woke up to see deep snow outside! The retreat was fantastic. I found the reconciliation and healing services really moving. The Masses were beautiful and full of young people and families. I tried to make time making the most of the Adoration times as well as the brilliant speakers which I found truly inspiring. Youth 2000 events are a highlight of my year so I really recommend them to all youth Catholics out there!  I cannot waited for the next big Youth 2000 event which will be held in the national shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham in Norfolk (25-28th August. I am also really looking forward to traveling to Madrid with Lancaster Diocese for World Youth Day. This is truly set to be an incredible summer!

 

Jonathon, 19, Poulton le Fylde: Out of Africa

Africa is epitomised by the generosity, faith and love of its people. We have witnessed so many challenges, encouragements and opportunities and what came across throughout our month in Kenya was the dignity of people even in the face of adversity. Rosa, Rachel and I were privileged to experience CAFOD’s work on the ground in the dry, dusty and rural Dioceses of Kitui and Isiolo, in the north of Kenya, and its urban projects in Nairobi. CAFOD is doing amazing work in Africa. We learned how one goat can help provide money for a mother to send her children to school, and how drought-resistant seeds were making growing crops like maize or tomatoes possible despite such arid conditions. Moses Katama could provide for his family of seven thanks to the land he has to grow onions and tomatoes on. Moses said: “Now we have a balanced diet at home with a variety of food and I can pay money for school fees.” Paulo spoke on behalf of the Tukana community in Isiolo which had received a water pipe to irrigate farmland. “We are very happy. We have achieved a lot. We would like to send our gratitude to the people who support us in England. God bless you.” We were overwhelmed by the welcome people gave us, from singing and dancing traditional songs to adorning us with homemade jewellery and praying for us, the deep sense of gratitude and solidarity shone through like the blazing African sun. There were so many new experiences for us, like trying our hand at milking goats to singing and dancing along to the awesome Masses we went to in Nairobi. I’ve never seen such a vibrant, colourful celebration of Mass where the congregation and priest were swaying, singing and clapping in unison praising God. It was very challenging to be confronted by poverty and to witness the contrast of the wealthy and the poor. We visited one community using drip irrigation to water their crops of onions, mangoes and other fruits while less than 5km away a hotel owner had his own borehole digger and his hotel complex featured a lush green garden that was being watered by sprinklers. This was hard to take especially after hearing stories of people walking 20km a day to fetch (dirty) water and learning that villages had not received good rainfall since 1997. Equally we have been inspired and humbled by the work CAFOD is doing in supporting people from many different backgrounds and beliefs. A Muslim widows group in Merti, in the far north of Kenya, relied on CAFOD’s partnership with the Diocese to help start up a small business which was benefitting the whole community. CAFOD is doing amazing things through its committed, organised and determined partners who have strong relationships with communities receiving support. Fr Martin Yanoike, who is the director of Radio Waumini in Nairobi – a Catholic radio station which airs programmes on HIV/AIDS – summed up what so many others said to us: “Without CAFOD we wouldn’t be where we are today.” The final word goes to Lucy, a pupil in Laini Saba Primary school in Kibera, the second largest slum in Africa. This is her message to children to England: “I would like to say: Be friendly to each other, love each other with God’s love and always try hard to become what you want to be. God bless you.”


David, 20, Warton

I have always been raised a Catholic, and I believe it has played a huge role in shaping who I am. My faith is very important to me. I may not always succeed, but I try to incorporate this into my everyday life. I am currently in my 3rd year studying Medicine at Nottingham (and loving it!), so I have had plenty of time to think about how my faith affects and helps my views on many subjects. Many aspects of becoming a doctor can be linked to my beliefs, which give me an extra perspective to tricky topics. I would love to say that it has made difficult ethical and moral dilemmas easier to handle, however it is definitely not that straight-forward all the time. I think that is part of being Catholic though; sometimes it can be hard, but very fulfilling at the same time. Over the last few years, I have matured and grown in my faith, and I would put a lot of that down to getting involved with the Lancaster Youth, in particular the pilgrimages to Lourdes. I have been 3 times and it has blown me away every time.  The mix of meeting with brilliant, like-minded people, having the chance to discover more about yourself and your faith, and putting in some hard work helping pilgrims makes for a pretty amazing week or so. The Lancaster Youth and those who have the immense job of leading everyone have had a massive effect on me, and I am very grateful for the friendships /connections/intellectual debates with them. I don’t think it is the easy option being a Catholic, especially in this modern, hectic world. Embracing university to its fullest is perhaps one of the biggest challenges my faith has faced, but I like to think it is possible to find the balance. I’ll admit I wasn’t always comfortable saying I was Catholic, but the experiences and maturity I have gained have definitely helped to allow me to come to terms with what it means to be Catholic, and how that should affect how I live. I consider myself confident in my faith, and honestly believe that it will continue to play a huge role in all aspects of my life.


Ryan, 17, Whitehaven

My faith probably wouldn’t exist without music. I started learning instruments at school and eventually started playing the cornet in the church band every Sunday morning Mass. Somewhere I heard the saying, ‘pray through music’, which I love because as a young person today I find it very hard to pray. Music helps me and also helps other people. This is why I dedicate most of my time to help provide the music for religious services and Masses. I now help to lead the choir for the Sunday evening Mass at St Begh’s church in Whitehaven. After a time of attending church I was given the chance of going to Lourdes. I did not really know what the whole thing was about, but after returning from Lourdes – a truly amazing place – my faith was much stronger, knowing that I wasn’t the only young person who had faith or went to church. Since then my faith has grown even stronger and I have been to Lourdes every year and hope to continue.

 

Simon, 20, Preston

First of all, my faith helps to give me a reason for everything I do. When I feel as though I am in a difficult situation I can get through it knowing that someone is above guiding me through the right path. My faith has grown over the past 3 years, mostly due to going to Lourdes with the Diocese and more recently going on the Big Walk. Lourdes each year has been a completely new, yet fantastic experience! The people that you meet, whether it be the VIP’s, Youth or the Priests all have different stories to tell and it has offered a great learning experience for me to build on and develop as a person. I have met some great friends whilst socialising in the Diocesan circle and I am sure I will meet many more in the future. If you haven’t been to Lourdes before I would recommend you do so!


Rachel, 18 (Castlerigg Manor): The Taize Factor

Hello, I’m Rachel. I’m living and working at Castlerigg Manor for a year, which is a long way from home as I am from Dudley near Birmingham. My faith is such an important part of my life. It has helped guide me through decisions and my relationship with God has helped me to become the person I am today. As a young Catholic there are many things that I struggle with, but there have been some experiences throughout my faith journey that have helped me through some of these struggles and come out with a closer relationship with God and more understanding of what He wants for me.

A big turning point in my life was when I took a pilgrimage to Taizé in France. If anyone was to ask me what Taizé was like I could only give the same answer as I got before I sent: cold showers basic food, camping, a 19-hour coach journey, etc. I must admit, all these things are true, and from an outside perspective this is all it would be. But when you experience it you are overwhelmed by this feeling of community and belonging. God is present in so many ways in Taizé, and it was truly a turning point in my life. The beauty is held in its simplicity: prayer three times a day, Bible study, and meals. But it helped me to grow so much in my faith and everyone who went was touched by how lovely it was to live there. And it has now led me to where I am today.

 

Lousie Cullen, 18 (Grimsargh): Hitting the Right Note

Being a Catholic has always been part of my life, and I have been brought up in a wonderful Catholic family. Every Sunday we would go to church, and I enjoyed going to Childrens Liturgy with my friends . Although a friendly parish, it was centred around the older generations, and there was nothing to encourage young people to attend Mass. Growing up, and looking around the church, there were very few families with teenage children and less and less of my friends turned up. My parents and other families with “teenagers” in the parish continued to inspire me with their vision of faith being something you can live out in your everyday life.
They constantly showed me this, through working hard to get younger memebers of the parish involved in the church community. I got involved in the music group, and Childrens Liturgy became something for the whole spectrum of youth in the church to be involved in. They made a youth group, showing me living out my faith through raising money for charities, with other young people can also be fun!! This strengthened my faith giving it relevence to my life, encouraging me to make the choice to continue going to church, even though many of my friends didn’t. Going to Castlerigg with school, gave me a different exeperience of church, where the whole of mass is a celebration, not just a routine where the meaning can be lost. Coming back from there into my own parish, I became aware that the way the service was presented meant people appeared to be going through the motions of going to church and I felt fustrated that little was done to make the Mass speak to people. Getting involved in the Youth Service helped me find something that was missing in my church. Through it I have met lots of amazing friends, and there is an amazing spirit when we’re together, due to us all having our faith in commom. Summit walks, and Prayer & Praise helped me praise God in a setting that is comfortable and relaxed.  Going to Lourdes last summer, was an overwhelming experience for me. Seeing the faith the sick had, as they visited the grotto and touched the walls was inspiring, and the gratitiude they had towards the youth for enabling them to make the pilgrimage was enriching. Even though it was hard work and exhausting, being with the 100 strong youth helpers meant it was a week full of laughter & fun.   My parish has been amazing in making it possible for me and other young people by constantly supporting the fundraisers we have with enthusiasm and generosity.
Now going to church, I find a growing sense of community. Meeting in the ‘Caton Room’ after mass for a cup of tea and biscuit is a chance to bring all memebers of the parish together, and is fantastic. I can see that as our parish develops, and the sense of community strengthens, so does my faith.

Next year I’m looking forward to World Youth Day Madrid, which will give me the chance to share my faith with Catholics from all over the world.

 

Rosie, 23 (Blackpool): Faith in the City

My name is Rosie. I am a young person from Blackpool who has recently (and suddenly) found myself all grown up – living in a big city, working and paying bills, even getting stuck in traffic?! I have joined the 9-5 group and I’m enjoying it! So many times though I have found myself getting so caught up in the secular world that I have forgotten to include God. I come from a Catholic background and so throughout my life have found it easy and comfortable to talk about God but out here in the big wide world, it is not so commonplace. I found myself, despite being surrounded by people, feeling terribly lonely. I decided to do something about this and so got involved in my local church. Here, I immediately felt at home. You see, faith is not something that you grow up with and leave behind, it is something that develops and grows with you. I am now a member of the church choir and social group, both of which have helped me to keep active in my faith. And as for working life, a friend of mine suggested I turn off the radio during those long traffic jams and instead devote the time to prayer. In this way, I am able to include God in my daily life and talk with him as freely as I always did. I love being a Catholic and my faith is so important to me. Life is too complicated not to include God – I don’t know how some people manage! 

 

Sarah, 20 (Kirkham): Filled with love.  

Being a young Catholic today means so much to me, as God fills the earth and each one of us with his love. Its only in the last few years I have come to realise this more and more. I grew up in a loving Catholic home and went to church every Sunday, yet I didn’t especially understand my faith until I had amazing experiences in Lourdes. There is a sheer presence in the town and particularly in the Grotto which brought my faith to life. With the great friends I found there and being able to discuss my faith with others, everything make sense about the wonder and glory of God. No wonder people go back and back. It is difficult for myself and others to find time to deepen our faith with God, until we just think back and remember how God is always with us. I’m currently on placement at Castlerigg Manor which has allowed my heart to open up more to him and now through these experiences, Mass and praying I realise how much He is a part of me and my life.


Joe Kaye, 22 (Barrow): Giving my life to God.

Well, here is something I never thought I would do. I remember even last year looking in the Diocesan newspaper where these testimonies are written up and thinking how ridiculous these people were, sharing their testimonies. Now I’m one of them… Recently I attended a faith conference in Ilfracombe, Devon. The conference was a Catholic charismatic family conference and it tested my faith. I was part of a diocesan youth team there to lead a group of 9-11 year olds. It was life changing; I have become much deeper in faith, finding it easier to pray and now always having time for God which before I never did. The conference taught me that I can be involved in my faith and not just a spectator. So here I am the lad that 12 months ago in Lourdes could not wait for the day to end so I could go out and get to the pub about to begin my own prayer group! Yes, I’m still human and nobody is perfect, but I’m slowly but surely giving my life to God and I don’t want anybody to miss out on the wonderful things He has for us here on earth, never mind in heaven. So remember to “put on the whole armour of God and zeal as your shoes  to spread the Gospel of peace”.


Amelia, 18 (Castlerigg Manor): Castlerigg Glee

Hi my name is Amelia Rock, I’m 18 years old from Wrexham, North Wales, and I am currently doing my gap year at Castlerigg Manor. For me being a Catholic is a very new thing. As a child I was never brought up in a Catholic environment my dad was baptized Anglican and my mum was born Jewish, and so my faith wasn’t a big part of my life. At the age of 8 I changed primary school to a Church of England one, I loved it there, and at the age of 10 I decided I wanted to get christened, my parents didn’t baptize me to any faith when I was a baby as they wanted to let me choose. And so starting high school, I ended up going to Chester Catholic High School, because my best friend was going. Through my life and especially through high school I have had a passion for drama and the performing arts and I really wanted to pursue this into a career, at this time in my life I knew nothing could get in the way of this. At the age of 13 my mum passed away which basically changed my life completely, the small amount of faith I did have was lost. And then at the age of 14 I got offered to go on retreat to Castlerigg Manor, I didn’t know anything about it apart from my best friend was going, and so I went. From the day I got off the coach at Castlerigg up until now my life again has changed dramatically. I found a deeper faith; I discovered God’s love, God’s compassion and God’s forgiveness. From the many times I visited Castlerigg as a young person I could feel my life rebuilding, Castlerigg has helped me so much develop as a young person and now a young adult. And then last year at the age of 17 I got confirmed into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil which was amazing. Now my faith has really opened my eyes to the beauty of the Church and the love that God has for each of us. And so from the inspiration from Castlerigg it has changed my path, I have now realised that I do not want to live a selfish life of acting, but to live a selfless life and to be with young people that enter youth centres like Castlerigg helping young people develop in their faith and help them as much as Castlerigg helped me discover myself.


Hannah, 19 (Longridge, Preston): Parachuting in!

I am currently working at Castlerigg Manor as a volunteer and only a weeks ago, I was baptised at the Easter vigil service at Castlerigg. My faith came to me only recently.
I had always grown up in a happy but non-religious family. My parents have always supported me in everything I do even if it hadn’t gone so well. After taking my GCSE’s I went to a sixth form college in Preston but had to leave after one year because I wasn’t doing so well and was far from a helpful or hardworking student. I then began in a new sixth form college in Lancaster. A new start, new people, new staff. However, my old attitudes and after a year, hopes of high grades were looking slim. I had heard of a pilgrimage to Lourdes with the youth section of the diocese which a couple of my friends were going on. This seemed the perfect distraction away from school work and exams. Little did I know how much it would shape my life in the future.
When we were out in Lourdes I couldn’t understand really what was going on. I knew I had this ‘happy’ feeling and believed it can only be from helping the VIP’s that we served. However, it was only as I knelt with the 100-strong youth section before the Grotto that I allowed myself to be open to the Holy Spirit. I had a very child-like gratitude and natural praise for this ‘thing’ (God) that I honestly knew very little about. It moved me so much. I felt God’s awesome love and acceptance wash over me and it left me desperate for more. It filled me with the thirst to want to love him back but I became aware that I didn’t yet know how. In the next couple of days I tried so hard to re-experience what I had at the Grotto but the more I tried the more I realised it wasn’t about getting the sign of cross in the right sequence or learning all the words to the services or kneeling at the right time. It was about love, loving one another and by doing so I becoming closer to our Father.
After returning home, I became hooked!! I wanted to know and understand what this space was in my heart and I began to read and talk to friends about it. It felt to me as if we were all falling through life; yet people with ‘Faith’ had parachutes. I felt my fall was clumsy, that I was simply missing out on looking around and didn’t ap-preciate the sights around me as I was so worried about reaching the bot-tom. However, my friends with the parachutes were floating slowly and were relaxing, secure in the knowledge that they knew they were safe because of the parachutes they carried on them was Faith. As a result they were able to look around and appreciate what they saw because they knew of the soft landing that was to come. I now understand this, and with the information I have learnt, with the advice I have been given, I can begin to build my relationship with God. I had heard about an opportunity to apply as a volunteer at Castlerigg Manor. This was my chance to begin to build my parachute – my love and reliance on God.
It didn’t take long for me to make the decision to be baptised, it was the right thing to do. I approached the priest at Castlerigg and we began preparing. I was a child having to learn a new world and new language. The team at Castlerigg have been instrumental in helping me to grow and stay on this path to knowing and loving God. After months of preparations the morning of my baptism came. And I spent the morning in pain. I wasn’t ready! I had doubts and it hurt. My family and friends were arriving that afternoon and I hadn’t spent any time alone to find myself in all the chaos of the Easter Vigil. I went and hid in the chapel. I had every colour pen you could imagine, music, paper, book upon book, Crucifix, Rosary beads and felt ready to pray so I began to write. I needed to know that God was with me and that He was holding my hand. I so needed His love and help that morning but after writing and praying for 2 hours I had prayed nothing from the heart and I felt so empty and lost. I was compelled to open my Bible, and straight away the love that I needed and the help I thirst for was laid upon me in abundance! (psalm 19 ) ‘May the Lord answer in times of trial, may the name of Jacob’s God protect you… May he send you help from his shrine and give you support from Sion… May he give you your heart’s desire and may the Lord answer all your prayers.’ Alleluia !! I read these words and at once knew that Jesus was with me and always would be. The Easter Vigil was amazing; I have so much fire in my heart and can’t wait to share it with everybody.

 

Jimmy, 19 (Blackpool): Basically, being Catholic is awesome!

I used to think that my religion was a small part of my life, to be put in a box and taken out once a week for an hour on Sundays. But in recent years, I have become more involved with my faith by going to youth groups, pilgrimages and Faith conferences, and now looking back on my life so far, I have realised that Catholicism has been surrounding every aspect of my life. I went to Catholic schools – St Kentigern’s and St Mary’s – and all my family are practising Catholics and so without my faith, life wouldn’t make sense to me. Another thing is that recently I was looking through my ‘friends’ list on Facebook and well over three quarters of my contacts are Catholic and I have made life-long friends from being more involved with the Church. Basically, being a Catholic is awesome!


Chris, 19 (Lancaster): God can do amazing things

Well i have been brought up in a catholic family and attended church on a weekly basis but never really understood my religion until i started to attend youth events such as impact and going on pilgrimages to Lourdes and WYD 08. These events changed everything for me and made me realise what my faith meant to me and how God can do amazing things in my life. However, more recently i was part of a ministry team at a camp in california working for the salvation army. This was again a life changing experience for me, i experienced the differences and similarities of two different denominations of christianity. I was also able to preach about my religion and allow others to start to understand different concepts such as transubstantiation and the importance of mother mary in our lives. A brilliant moment was when i realised the importance of the scriptures and how praying to god through the bible can help you get through some very stressful and difficult times in your life, these which i experienced helping under-privileged children from the inner city of San Francisco. All these things have allowed my faith to grow a great deal and allowed me to develop a personal relationship with God instead of just turning up to church once a week.


Rebecca, 21 (St Annes-on-the-Sea): Refreshment for the Soul

My parents brought me up with a really strong belief in God and of His love for His people. Their example led me to my own understanding and deepening of my faith. So the foundations of my faith were built on rock, and when the winds of my parents splitting up blew and the rain came, my faith stood strong. Yes, there were definitely rough patches and my beliefs about sex and marriage in particular were thoroughly shaken and there were times when I couldn’t feel God: I just felt lost and hopeless, but I kept believing that He was carrying me through, and that He did. Matthew 11:28 was a verse that kept appearing at these times when I was ready to fall apart, and was a much needed lifeline: ‘I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls’. So though I have endured struggles and hardships, these have in fact only brought me closer to God. Though I feel close to God, I often need to remind myself of this fact, and the fact that I should be placing God in the driving seat of my life, rather than letting myself get swept along with not much thought. So that’s where I’m at the moment, trying to place all my trust in God…


Daniel, 20 (Lancaster University): Not a burden but a grace.

Being a young Catholic today has become increasingly more difficult with pressures to conform to a very unreligious society from which young Catholics can feel alienated and like myself are persecuted for their faith, and the challenge is to listen to what Christ said, ‘If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too’ (Jn. 15:20). These words are very familiar to me as my parish priest was always reminding me of them; Christ gave us these as a warning and is a reference to all who believe in Christ that you will endure hardships in the name of Christ which is the struggle of being a young Catholic today. This message however is of great hope and comfort that Christ was telling us of how with His crucifixion He shares in our sufferings and hardships. In knowing the confrontation that He had throughout His ministry in dealing with society reminds us young people to hold firm to the Truth which is Christ and manifested in His Church. It is a call to follow Christ more closely, which we all try to do but speaking from experience there are times where as a young person you can find yourself immersing yourself into society as it seems the easiest option and seems the most desirable. To do this we are indirectly rejecting Christ by accepting a society that has rejected Him. It becomes a challenge and a great pain to know that you have the truth but no one can see and they laugh it off. The secular and the sacred move further apart and it is young Catholics’ job to determine how to strike a balance between the two through prayer, the Church and hope in the risen Lord who gives us hope through having overcome persecution by rising from the dead, so I know that holding on this we can be saved. I have always believed that the best way to live out faith in this way is for young people to get as involved in their church communities as much as possible otherwise they will not only be distanced from society but also fellow Christians which can lead to a loss of faith. Coming together as young Catholics today is hugely important and at home and here in Lancaster I have been very lucky that there are many opportunities for sharing faith and living out faith together but we need to always be renewing our faith and bringing others to faith who are willing to endure the hardships of being a Catholic today with us not as a burden but as a grace.


Hanna, 22 (Morecambe): Loved!

The last year wasn’t a particularly easy one for me. After receiving my A-level results and not gaining my place at university I decided to repeat my last year at school, despite many people telling me it would be extremely hard. It wasn’t until my friend went off to university themselves that it really hit home and I felt very lonely. At the same time, home wasn’t very peaceful with arguments pretty much the norm. I found it increasingly hard to concentrate to believe that this was God’s plan. After all I felt like everyone was disappointed in me, why would God be any different? With my friends off at university, the people I always talked to about everything gone, I bottled everything up inside. Church became more of a chore than a choice and I felt like I could no longer feel God.
I got asked if I would do the ‘Philip course’ and agreed as at the time I didn’t have much else to do. One of the things we looked at whilst there was all about the Father’s love. One line stuck in my head; ‘no matter what you do, I shall always love you.’ I realised that God hadn’t left me, He wasn’t disappointed in me, and I had turned away from Him! After this I began to take more interest in church again and it no longer felt like such a chore.


Will, 23 (Lancaster): The reason for life.

I love being Catholic. Before I took my faith seriously, life was good, and I was happy, but looking back, I see that something was missing, and there was an emptiness inside me. Now my faith is a big part of my life, and it doesn’t hold me back from anything I want to do, but it gives me so much more to live for. I know I have a reason to live, and it’s to love and to serve God. It is often a massive struggle within – to love God, and follow His teachings given to me through the Church, even though everything the world tells me often seems to go against that… But when I’m praying, I feel strong and close to God. I have found that we can serve God in everything that we do. Not just for one hour a week in Mass; but whether I am praying the rosary, or out for a ride on my motorcycle, I know God is always there with me, and we can offer Him all that we do.