CYMFed - the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation for England and Wales - has attracted some of the best known speakers in the Catholic world to its first national Congress for youth leaders. The Congress takes place in London on Saturday, 27 February with the theme ‘We have set our hope on the living God'. It will also see the first presentation of new and important research into the life and faith of Catholic young people. Fr Timothy Radcliffe and Abbot Christopher Jamison are headline speakers. Archbishop Vincent Nichols will give the closing exhortation within the final liturgy.
Other keynote speakers include Bob and Maggie McCarty. Both have been involved in Youth Ministry in America for many years at a senior level - Bob is the Executive Director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry which has 174 American Dioceses as members. Their vision helped shape the creation of CYMFed in England and Wales, and their wisdom will offer fresh insights for youth leaders in parishes, schools, religious orders, movements and organisations who come to the Congress. The Director of Education for Plymouth Diocese and internationally renowned speaker, David Wells, will MC the day.
Fr Dominic Howarth, Chair of CYMFed, said, "We are delighted with the range and calibre of the speakers, and with the support from the Bishops. It is the first time for many years that there has been a national event on this scale for those working with young people in our Church, and we hope it marks the beginning of a fresh revitalisation of national Catholic Youth Ministry, to complement and strengthen the wonderful work happening in many places locally."
The research was commissioned for CYMFed by the YCW, the Young Christian Workers, alongside CAFOD and with support from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. The wide-ranging survey explores young Catholics' understandings of the world and of their faith. The research also highlights the perceptions of the Church which are held by these young people who inhabit the Catholic world - those who go to Mass and those who don't; those who hold Catholic beliefs and those who don't; those who describe themselves as Catholic, and those who would be a little bit more ambiguous. The conclusions of the research will significantly inform the shape of Youth Ministry in the Church in the years ahead, and they will be presented by Danny Curtin, YCW President, together with Abbot Christopher Jamison.
The Congress is being held at The Friends Meeting House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ. Over 700 youth leaders, chaplains, teachers and priests from across the country have registered to attend so far. Tickets for the Congress, at £14, are still available via the website www.cymfed.org.