Youth & Young Adults

As announced over the summer, the Prior of Taizé, Brother Alois, will hand over his office of "servant of communion" in the Community to Brother Matthew this Saturday 2 December at 8.30pm, during the final evening prayer before Advent Sunday. The evening prayer will be attended by the Bishop of Autun, Benoît Rivière, Metropolitan Maximos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Geneva, Anglican Bishop... Read More

The Diocese of East Anglia Youth Service has launched an exciting new initiative which seeks to bring together young contemporary Catholic musicians from around the Diocese and is inviting applications to join it. Under the leadership of Fr Peter Wygnanski, East Anglia School of Contemporary Catholic Music, aims to grow as a community committed to discipleship in Christ through prayer and praise a... Read More

In a letter ahead of the 38th diocesan World Youth Day which is celebrated on 26 November, Pope Francis describes youth as a time of "hopes and dreams", and asks how this optimism can be sustained in an increasingly crisis-ridden world. In his letter released today, entitled 'Rejoicing in Hope', Pope Francis says that Christian hope is not "facile optimism" but rather certain knowledge of God's p... Read More

The first apprenticeship and career pathway for school chaplains and youth ministers is helping resolve difficulties in formation, recruitment and retention. Many of the 2,169 Catholic schools, colleges and academies in England employ lay chaplains to address the social, emotional and spiritual needs of students and staff. However, lack of career progression and limited pay can result in low numb... Read More

John Paul de Quay looks back on World Youth Day in Lisbon August 29, 2023 I had received a personal invitation to World Youth Day (WYD) from my friend; Br Philip-Thomas, to join them and their small group from St Anthony's, Forest Gate and St Patrick's Soho. I had always been intrigued by and perhaps a little dismissive of WYD. I realised this was the last one I could be somewhat classified as 'yo... Read More

On Saturday, 2nd September, Lisbon came to London as Westminster Youth Ministry held a summer picnic for those young people who weren't able to make it to World Youth Day. Almost 100 people were in attendance for a day filled with prayer, talks, activities and testimonies. The day began with a testimony from Hojee, one of the young people who had gone with the diocese to Lisbon, who spoke about ho... Read More

The Columban Missionaries in Britain and Ireland have announced the launch of their latest Schools Media Competition 2023-2024 which has the title: 'Biodiversity Matters'. The launch is during the first week of the Season of Creation when Christian communities around the world focus on valuing and protecting God's creation. And a core aspect of Columban mission is justice, peace and ecology. The c... Read More

A group of 25 young adults, who are representing the St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales), have spent the past several days at the World Youth DaY (WYD) global gathering to deepen their faith and experience the universality of the Catholic Church. Sarah Barber, the SVP's Director of Young Vincentians and Youth Services, has accompanied the young adults during their time in Lisbon and spo... Read More

Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire, was one of the speakers at World Youth Day in Lisbon last week. He led young pilgrims in the reading of Scripture, Eucharistic Adoration, and moments of silence and recollection. Finally they celebrated Mass - the greatest prayer the Church has. Watch videos of Bishop Robert's catechetical sessions at WYD23 - and much more - here: https://www.wordonfi... Read More

At the conclusion of the World Youth Day Mass on Sunday 6 August, Pope Francis announced that Seoul, South Korea, will host the next World Youth Day international gathering in 2027. He also invited the young people present to come to Rome for the 2025 Jubilee Year, calling it the "Jubilee of Young People". Later he tweeted: 'am giving young people throughout the world an appointment to celebrate t... Read More

After these exciting days, surely we feel like repeating the words of the Apostle Peter on the Mount of the Transfiguration: "Lord, it is good for us to be here!" (Mt 17:4). Indeed, how good it was to share this experience with Jesus and with one another, and how we have joined in prayer. Yet, in the wake of these grace-filled days, we can also ask an important question: What will we take back wit... Read More

An estimated two million young pilgrims took part in the World Youth Day vigil celebration on Saturday evening 5 August. A hot end to day five in Lisbon, the hottest its been this World Youth Day, but at the huge Parque Tejo,the pilgrims and volunteers did everything they could to stay cool and hydrated. The breeze helped, and the heat shield blankets kept everything cool, whilst makeshift tents a... Read More

Friday's World Youth Day (WYD) Way of the Cross in the Eduardo VII Park was a most moving and dramatic event. Matilde Trocado, artistic director of the Way of the Cross, said there was a youthful and contemporary approach to the 14 Stations, each of which focused on a specific "fragility" of young people across the globe. She underlined the different approach adopted to plan the Via Crucis, starti... Read More

On the third day of his Apostolic Journey to Portugal, Pope Francis praised charitable outreach workers for living out 'love in action,' and reminded them of the value of even the most simple of gestures. 'Love in action,' is the way Pope Francis characterised the selfless work of charity workers during his third day in Portugal for the 37th World Youth Day. Addressing representatives of some aid ... Read More