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Young Catholics celebrate their faith in Trafalgar Square first posted 11 August 2004


Young Catholics joined forces with more than 15,000 people from across England and Wales last Saturday to take one of the capital's landmarks by storm - all in the name of Jesus.

Trafalgar Square - famous as home to Nelson's Column which was erected to commemorate Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 - played host to thousands of young Christians as part of the climax of a two-week London-wide mission called Soul in the City.

Between 3pm and 5pm the square was filled with prayers and songs. A mix of speakers, including Alpha founder Nicky Gumbel, congratulated the young people gathered for all their efforts and spoke of the event being a real victory for Christian unity and for the Gospel.

The Catholic Youth Service and the Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation (CASE) were the principal Catholic organisations promoting the event.

Clare Ward, a member of the CASE team, said: "This was an extremely dynamic event. It was a real attempt to take the Gospel message to the streets of London in a way that connected with modern culture. The success of Soul In The City presents a challenge to us all ­ to be respectful but courageous in taking the message of Jesus to our local communities."

During Weeks One and Two of the mission, young people met for morning worship in three tent cities which were located on the outskirts of London.

The afternoons were taken up with Church based outreach projects. One of the Catholic parishes hosting a project was St Patrick's in Soho Square in London's West End.

It welcomed around 40 volunteers who helped run a music festival. Crowds were entertained by free concerts from groups such as Meeker and Transition. Volunteers also offered people free car washes and nail painting, amongst a host of other activities.

Alice Hall, from the Sion Community. based in Brentwood, and one of the leaders of the Soho-based project. said: "I really believe we have sowed the seeds of the Gospel during this event. We have been able to reach out to so many people. We were able to pray with some and they were really moved. It's been amazing."


CASE was launched by the Bishops of England and Wales earlier this year to support and resource dioceses, parishes, schools, groups and individuals in proclaiming the Good News. For more information on CASE visit: www.caseresources.org.uk

Seeking? Exploring? Visit: www.life4seekers.co.uk

Source: CCS

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