September 2010 saw the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI generating memorable scenes with thousands of young people joyfully celebrating faith and being affirmed as part of a vibrant Church.

 2012 is the year when the Olympic Games come to Britain. Pope John Paul II wrote magnificently about the relationship between sport and faith. In his name, the Pope John Paul II Foundation for Sport will seek to continue to develop sport within the Church in the months and years following 2012.

 These inspirations set the scene for an event where thousands of young Catholics will be offered the very best of Catholic Youth Ministry in England and Wales. The Flame Congress will ignite young hearts and souls afresh with the joy of the Gospel message; it would be devastating for your young people to miss it!

 There are some particular groups that you might think about bringing:

• Confirmation Groups will gain so much from the chance to experience a day like this as a group. A day of high quality speakers that will really help them reflect on their faith; a day shared with thousands of other young people that will give them the chance to see they are part of a young and vibrant church; and a day where – fortuitously linked to the Olympic symbol of flame – the central scriptural theme for the day is directly linked to Confirmation: “Fanning the Spirit into a Flame”

• The “hard to reach” young people – We are hoping that there will be some celebrity names on the final list of speakers.

Perhaps there are young people who have dropped away in their teenage years, but you have contacts with them through parents or through Confirmation address lists. It could be that Flame Congress offers the chance to reconnect with these young people, and inspire them in fresh ways about their faith

• Post-Confirmation Groups – it may even be that you are working with a group of year 9s in 2011, and can book them in as a group as a point of definite contact for you and for them in their post-Confirmation year. It could even be that they do a little fundraising as a group – a sponsored event, a car wash, a cake sale, or that they run a parish quiz – and that this gives the funds they need to come along

• Young Adult “Leaders” – some parishes actively form young adults as leaders, perhaps as young catechists, or youth leaders. We trust that they will return from Flame Congress really uplifted by the experience, and with new ideas of how to help and support other young people in the parish

We have done our very best to keep costs low – at £55 for ticket and travel we hope that Flame Congress is within reach of many young people and their families, and that it is an event parishes may help young people to fund.

THE CONGRESS TAKES PLACE AT WEMBLEY ARENA ON SATURDAY 24 MARCH 2012

STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL FLAME NEWS AT: http://mymission.org.uk

Find below a link to down load the booking form!

Flame Congress Booking Form

Change and Victory

The theme chosen for the Week of prayer for Christian Unity this year is, “We will be changed by the Victory of Our Lord Jesus Christ” (Cor 15:51-58)

This theme was devised by an ecumenical group in Poland which consisted of representatives of the Orthodox Church, Old Catholic Church, Protestant Churches and the Roman Catholic Church.

This theme is obviously concerned with Change and Victory. The resources presented by the group elaborate on the transformative power of Faith and these resources highlight the possibility of change and victory. The tremendous victory of the visible unity of the Church will come by the grace of God and the collaboration of the Christian Churches, working together and praying together.

The Risen Jesus is with us always, to change us and give us the victories. These victories along the way will find their culmination in the final victory of our personal resurrection. The text chosen is about our resurrection on the last day.

And so we pray together to the Father:

Prepare us for that day of days

When Christ from heaven will come with might

To call us out of dust again

Our bodies glorified in light                   

                                                            (Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal)

Journey in Faith

Adventure   Mystery   Searching the Depths

Exploration   Unlocking   Revelation

‘Come and See’ (John 1:39)

Would you like to come along and find out more?

•  What we believe
•  How we pray and celebrate
• How we live out our faith in our daily lives
• Any other questions you may have

The Parish welcomes all enquirers. A small group of parishioners meet once a fortnight  in a very friendly and informal atmosphere.

Meetings are held  every other Thursday at 7 pm at the Presbytery.

If you would like to know more, speak to the parish Priest, RCIA catechist or Deacon Ken

-

(St Mary’s Cathedral is in no way affiliated with Catholic Singles and provides this link for informational purposes.  We are not responsible for the content of external sites.)

The English-language site was launched on Friday. The Web site has been available in Spanish since November.

A press statement from the youth day organizers noted that the site has been “a great success, as the Spanish version has been accessed from 143 different countries.”

The note revealed that the countries asking for the most information are from Spain, the United States, Italy, Mexico, Brazil and Germany.
 
“We continue working in the Web’s beta concept,” the press statement said, “which obliges us to improve the page, hearing the suggestions of users and putting them into practice. We hope that the interaction of our new English-speaking users will be as positive as the one we already have with our users of the Spanish version.”

http://www.madridwyd2011.com/JMJ2011ING/REVISTA/cabecerasypies/PortadaHome.asp?vmenu=HOME
 

The 2011 World Youth Day will take place Aug. 16-21. Its theme is “Planted and Built Up in Jesus Christ. Firm in the Faith.”

Source: www.zenit.org