It’s Lent, It’s the time of the year when we catholics give up something in preparation for Easter – if you make it by Easter.
But what do we give up? I’ve known people who gave up up cakes and chocolates. Others breakfast and lunch altogether. While others stopped watching foolball or eastenders (never thought you’d see them in one sentence, huh?).
Have I got something to give up?
How can we make our parishes places in which young people can live, laugh and love and, in so doing, discover Jesus Christ? It’s a question that the parishes of Hartlepool have been asking over the last year as they prepared, alongside the English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College and the Youth Ministry Team, for the Mission which took place last month.
The year long journey has seen much living, laughing and loving along the way. One highlight was when the team of adult parish representatives and the mission control team of students spent a weekend together at Ampleforth sharing faith and planning for the Mission and beyond.
The week culminated in a fantastic Family Night, filling the school hall to overflowing, as young people shared their faith, energy and life with the adult faith community.
After much preparation and anticipation, the Youth Ministry Team ended 2008 on a high note with a week long mission at St. Aidan’s School, Sunderland.
The pupils responded to the mission by participating in every activity with passion and enthusiasm. It was this that gave life to the whole school and inspired the Team in the mission throughout the week.
Taking on the challenge to live life to the full, a group of students braved the unknown by learning something new – the Haka! The Haka, popularised by the rugby team All Blacks, is a traditional New Zealand tribal war dance. Led by Kiwi Team member Paul Andrewartha, the students moved and chanted in front of their fellow students during the assembly at the end of the week.
