Embrace Liverpool - Major Conference for Young Adults

Embrace Liverpool, a major conference for young adults, is set to take place at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on Saturday 1 November from 10am to 6pm. The brainchild of LIPA student, John Griffin, Embrace Liverpool will be day to celebrate the faith of young people from throughout the United Kingdom with activities, workshops, keynote speakers, adoration, confession and praise and worship concluding at 4pm with Mass celebrated by the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon, Archbishop of Liverpool.

John says the inspiration for Embrace came from different places: the experience of big HCPT Masses in Lourdes' underground basilica; the beauty of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King; and the scarcity of big Catholic youth events 'up north'. Above all his desire is for others to see that the Church is alive for young people. He says: "it will be a chance to reignite and deepen faith, become closer to Christ and network with local like-minded young people; some people just go to Sunday Mass and don't get to see this side of it."

The programme for the day will include addresses from Father Dermot Donnelly, Chair of the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation (CYMFED); Sister Catherine Holum, Franciscan Sister of the Renewal from the USA, who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics as a member of the US Speed Skating Team, and John Pridmore. Workshops will be led by Lord Alton, Father Duncan McVicar, Dominican Sister of St Joseph Maria Natella, the Knights of St Columba and Prison Chaplain Ken McCabe.

"It's taken up the whole summer." says Bolton-born 21-year-old John, as he explains a planning process which even includes the composition of a bespoke song for the event by Mike Anderson, composer of hymns such as 'Sing It In The Valleys'. "He's written an anthem, Embrace The World, which we've recorded and put on the website: www.embrace-liverpool.org.uk  so that hopefully people will come to the conference knowing it."

For more information and to register for the day go to www.embrace-liverpool.org.uk