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Youth Ministers and Catechists . . . Ever thought we need a day away with our group?... Why not come to Lowe House? Come and lead the day yourself or we can lead it for you. The Animate Youth Team can help you plan what sort of day you would like and bring together the latest youth resources. ‘Away Days’ can be designed around your needs. A valuable part of any programme or Confirmation preparation is having a full day away as a group, as the following testifies:
St John’s, Wigan Animate went on the road to a confirmation evening at St John’s parish, Wigan, to help the group in preparation for their confirmation. The evening was a chance to explore ‘What it means to be a Catholic?’ and particularly prayer. The evening was great fun and it was great to be able to share how the power of prayer can have an impact in your life. The evening, although fairly short, was full of games, film clips, artwork and prayer and was a great opportunity to reflect on the faith everybody was preparing to be confirmed in. Croxteth and Walton Pastoral Area On a cold dark night in October we welcomed a the great guys and girls from the parishes in Croxteth and Walton to Lowe House. It was a great evening spent exploring the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how we can allow them into our lives. The night involved lots of activities and gave everyone a chance to learn from each other as the group was split into smaller groups and asked to present one of the gifts to the whole group. It was great to be able to finish what was a great night with a time of prayer and reflection down in the Life and Soul café. West Warrington the guys from West Warrington finished their preparation for confirmation with a day at Lowe House just TWO days before they were confirmed. We were delighted to be a part of their programme and had a great day with them. The day was full of all sorts of activities and everyone got the chance to take part in three different workshops based on ‘Drink and Drugs’, ‘Assisted Suicide’, and ‘Relationships and Sex’. The workshops explored these themes, the Church teaching on these life issues and importantly why the Church teaches these things. The day finished with a Reconciliation service which was a great chance to be at one with God before being Confirmed!
East Warrington We welcomed the guys from East Warrington for part of their journey towards Confirmation. The day gave us all a chance to think about the final section of the creed “We believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.” The day involved many activities, the morning included games, songs, a look at communities making adverts and posters. Moving into film clips, testimonies, and an inventive presentation on Reconciliation, which lead into a service of Reconciliation to finish the day. A great experience for everyone!
St Joseph’s, Brindle, Preston. We we’re delighted to be invited by Fr Raphael to help a group of young people prepare for their confirmation. During the day, through games, discussions and presentations we explored the theme of “The Body of Christ”, and discussed how the life of faith and confirmation relate to every day life. We looked especially at the gifts of the Spirit and how they can be a part of every day life as well as how they are gifts from God that are nurtured through prayer. The day ended with the group planning a time of prayer based around the different parts of the Mass. It was a great day, and the team even got the chance to go and see the beautiful parish church that holds relics of St Edmund Arrowsmith. Truly an enjoyable day for all involved. St Joseph’s, Leigh We recently had a great day with a small group from St Joseph’s. The day focussed on words from the weekend’s readings, the words ‘I am the vine, you are the branches’ from John’s gospel. It was a day full of many activities including, building your own church out of newspaper, making Holy Spirit fruit cocktails, a very artistic vine with all the branches showing different reflections on the readings each group were given and the idea of community and what each person could do as part of their parish community (there were some great ideas!). The day ended with a time of prayer and reflection to bring the whole day together and there were a number of ‘fruits of the spirit’ prayer stations for everyone to journey through to finish what was a fantastic day.
Isle of Man We were recently able to go to the Isle of Man for the second year to work with confirmation candidates for a day. We were lucky enough to be able to use the facilities of St Mary’s Primary School, Douglas, to work with over 50 young people leading up to their confirmation. The day focussed on the gifts of the spirit and was full of games, film clips, artwork, drama, presentations and songs. There was great enthusiasm and involvement from everyone in all activities including all the young people taking an active part in putting together parts of our celebration mass at the end of the day. This involved preparing for the music, writing bidding prayers and the penitential rite, showing the Gospel through drama, learning sign language for a communion reflection and learning some flag moves for the opening and closing hymns and processions. A big thank you goes to all the Catechists who helped during the day and to all those who helped prepare an amazing lunch for everybody that was thoroughly enjoyed by all (I think some people couldn’t move after they’d eaten as much as they could!).
Love is… Retreat: What a weekend it was at Savio House in the small village of Bollington, situated in what is affectionately known as the Happy Valley. A happy weekend it was, on Friday around 25 individuals arrived at Lowe House ranging from age 14-21 and returned on Sunday as a group of new friends. There was sadness upon return but only due to the fact that 2 people had already made their own way home from Savio AND of course because the weekend was over! The weekend was full of activities; games and fun on Friday evening. Workshops, a walk, a Reconciliation service, and a 70’s themed party with fun games on Saturday and Sunday was a chance to reflect on the weekend, get involved in the mass that finished the weekend and everyone’s favourite of tidying the place up! The three workshops involved different activities and were all based around the theme of love. Love of God helped people to explore the love that God has for each and every one of us, using scripture, pictures, prayer and the story of St Maximillian Kolbe. Love of the World focussed on how we show love to God’s creation of the world and the people in it, using Cafod resources and also Lowe House recycling (cardboard etc.) came into play when people were challenged to build their own shelter. Love your neighbour as you love yourself explored who and what we love and how we show that love, firstly exploring if we love ourselves and what that means, then how we show love to the people we meet in our everyday lives and finally love in relationships and the Church teaching of sex before marriage and how these all come back to love of ourselves. Although many people came along to the weekend not knowing anyone else everyone finished the weekend talking about when everyone was going to meet up again and continue all the fun. Valentine’s weekend 2009 won’t be forgotten for a long time I’m sure!
Our Lady Mount Carmel, Toxteth: We spent a great day working with the Confirmation group from Our Lady Mount Carmel this month. The day particularly explored the Church as a community that we belong to, and how the fruits of the spirit help us in being part of that community. It involved many activities including discussion, artwork, dramas, prayer, testimony and even building your own church (albeit out of paper, straws, string and sellotape!). The day was fantastic to be a part of and we wish everyone in the group all the best for their confirmation! St Bede’s , Widnes Youth Group: We were glad to welcome the ladies and gentlemen from the youth group in Widnes back to Lowe House to explore Advent. Having previously explored prayer and praise & worship on an earlier day, it was a chance to think about what this time actually is in the church, and what we do as part of the church. The group thought about Advent being a time of preparation and how they were preparing for the amazing birth that we shall be celebrating soon. We also thought about the hope that the Jewish people had of the coming of their saviour and what hopes there are in the world today. The day also included a chance for everyone to spend time experiencing the Christmas Prayer Labyrinth in the corridor of Lowe House. The Labyrinth being a set of prayer stations at which you can spend as long or as little time as you choose. St Mary’s, Birchley: Some of the team had the chance to have a great afternoon with the ladies and gents of St Mary’s in Birchley on a Confirmation day that finished the programme that had been lead by their catechists during the weeks before. It was a fun afternoon full of all sorts of activities including dramas, artwork, discussion, film clips and more. The afternoon was enjoyed by the young people and the team and was a chance for the group to look over what they had been learning about in previous sessions and focussed mainly on the Church Community and Gifts of the Spirit. West Warrington: The day spent with Confirmation candidates from West Warrington was the first the new team had done and thoroughly enjoyed it! The day focussed on ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ and involved all sorts of activities including film clips, discussions, drama, artwork, presentations and more! The day helped everyone to think about what the gifts of the spirit are and how they can be used in our everyday life. The day also finished with a service of reconciliation for candidates, catechists and the team alike. Your really fun, I enjoyed the day a lot! Thanks!
Croxteth and Walton Pastoral Area: A few parishes joined together and resulted in a group of about 75 coming to Lowe House one evening for what turned out to be a fun night for all. Using many different mediums we explored the ‘Gifts of the Spirit’. We looked at what they are, what they mean, and how we can use them in our everyday lives. As well as some great singing there were some Oscar worthy dramas and the evening finished with a time of prayer in which each person played their part in making the body of Christ in an artistic fashion which was visually inspiring.
Margaret Clitherow Pastoral Area: Just the other day we welcomed a confirmation group from a couple of parishes in the Margaret Clitherow Pastoral Area. We only had a few hours with them but we had fun exploring the gifts of the spirit using discussion, artwork and drama and were privileged to witness ‘St Mary’s Got Talent’ which I think easily beats the TV show and showed the gifts of courage and wisdom brilliantly. ‘it was really fun and I’d love to come again’ East Warrington Confirmation Day: Animate had a great day with the guys from parishes around East Warrington. The day was spent, playing games, producing dramas, singing, reflecting on a couple of film clips all to help with thinking about what it means to belong to the church and the gifts of the spirit. It was a great day that everyone enjoyed. ‘it was brilliant and I would do it again’
Isle of Man - Willaston: On the Sunday of our weekend in the Isle of Man we had the privilege of working with a post Confirmation group. The group is made up of young people who have made their confirmation over the last few years ranging from 11-15 years old. They meet up every month and do a variety of activities including the day we spent with them. We explored the theme of ‘I will be with you always’ and how, like the disciples, Jesus helps us in everything we do along our journeys. In turn, we are asked to help others in our lives on their journeys using the gifts that we have been given. This group is a great idea and we wish them all the best until we see them next. We were very upset that we don’t get to go to their next meeting too, a trip to the fire station!
Isle of Man – Onchan: This was Animate's first confirmation day in the Isle of Man and was good fun. We worked with around 40 young people from around the Parish of Onchan playing some fun games and exploring the gifts of the Spirit. We also finished the day by preparing different aspects of the Mass that we celebrated with the rest of the Parish. From the response we got it seems it was received well by all.
St Richard’s, Atherton – Confirmation Away Day We had a fantastic day with the St Richard’s guys and girls and I’m sure they’d say the same!!! During the day we were looking at the theme of ‘We are One Body’. It was a chance to think about how each one of us is a part of the worldwide Catholic Church and we each have a part to play in this Church. We played some games watched some clips from ‘Dogma’ and ‘Bruce Almighty’ and had some fantastic actors with us that day! I’m sure everyone will remember the church with bouncy floors!!!!! And we hope your confirmation goes well on the 12th!!!!!
Croxteth and Walton Confirmation away day. St Mary’s & St John’s Parish - Wigan This year saw the return of the parishes from Wigan to Lowe House to help the Confirmation candidates on their journey towards celebrating the sacrament. The day gave the group time and space out of busy lives to just chill and reflect on this next step in faith. Comments “The young people really enjoyed the games and activities. The Christmas labyrinth was very special.” Catechist. St Mary’s Parish - Birchley A further Confirmation retreat day the Team has led was with St Mary’s, Birchley. The day focussed on how we belong to the Church through Baptism and the gifts that are received at Confirmation. A great day was had by all with loads of input from St Mary’s young people, who really got involved in the role plays, sketches and discussions. Comments “I enjoyed the whole day, especially the singing, it helped me in lots of ways and was fun to do.” St Marie and St John Fisher Parish - Widnes For a second year the team worked with a large group of Confirmation candidates from Widnes. It was great to work with the group and to follow-up from their School Mission before the summer. The theme of the day was, ‘I am the true vine.’ The day ended with a time for reflection and the opportunity for confession and reconciliation, which was a very moving experience for adults and young people. The Confirmation day came at the end of the parish Confirmation preparation and helped the candidates on their final step towards celebrating the sacrament. The Confirmation Mass was fantastic and it was great to hear ‘Jesus is a Rock’ and ‘God is a Good God’ played there after they were such a hit at the Mission. Comments “I enjoyed the singing and having lots of fun.” West Warrington Pastoral Area. Young people preparing for confirmation in the West Warrington pastoral area came to Lowe House for away days. During these days we looked at the theme of the gifts of the spirit and how these gifts relate to our every day life. During the day there were many great role plays, discussions, games, time for reflection and the opportunity for reconciliation. "This was a really good day" St Thomas of Canterbury Parish - St Helens Check it Out Retreat The Check it Out retreat took place at the end of the February half term. Twenty six young people travelled with the Animate team to Savio House in Bollington. It was a fantastic weekend when we spent time thinking about Lent, what it menas and the things that we can do during Lent. There was time for fun and games, socialising, making new friends, prayer and reflection and even a walk up a hill!!! The weekend ended with Sunday Mass when everyone did something to be part of themass from role play to music to movement and writing prayers. Over all it was a fantastic weekend and many new friendships were made. Everyone went away feeling that they had much to take from the weekend. "It was a good opportunity to learn more about my faith and to meet new people"
The diocese has four part-time Youth Ministers. They are Mike Price (Ormskirk and Lydiate), Clare Lawson (St Margaret Mary’s-Knotty Ash), Steve McBride (St Mary’s-Leyland) and Phil Knowles (Formby). They are an invaluable resource to the diocese working in local communities developing and strengthening youth ministry in parishes and keeping strong links with the local High Schools. Do you need a Confirmation Programme makeover? You've just been told the Confirmation Mass is three months away! Going through your mind is: Is it that time of year again; where do I go to for help? How many people can I persuade to get involved this year? Where are our young people anyway? Can I face a group like last year? Animate can help support Confirmation catechists by resourcing you as ministers doing a vital role in the Church. You could take a 'gap year' from Confirmation preparation to prayerfully, carefully and practically look at the meaning of the sacrament, what you are trying to do in the programme and what you would like to see come afterwards. REVIEW | REFRESH | RESOURCE is a three-session programme to help you and your fellow catechists or potential catechists to reflect and pray about your preparation of young people for the Sacrament of Confirmation, the theology of the Sacrament, and look to preparation in the future. We can facilitate days in Lowe House, your parish or elsewhere. Just give us a ring for more details.
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