Salisbury in Flames
24 April 2009
Robert Windsor, our Youth Ministry Coordinator in the Salisbury deanery, writes with news of an inspiring day for young Catholics in the south of our diocese.
On Sunday (19 April) we held our very first ‘Fanning the Flame’ retreat day in Salisbury’s wonderful news St Elizabeth Hall. Thirty of us shared the day in all. It was a great success which we can now develop the flames have been fanned for our deanery.
In October last year I appealed to the deanery for help with our youth ministry, in trying to move it forward. Only seven of us made it around the table. I was hoping for more. I needn’t have worried about numbers because, while everybody around the table was special, there were two people who made a big difference as to how our ministry was to move on.
One of those was Sister Maria Natella, a Dominican Sister from Lymington, who advised me to stop worrying about lack of numbers of young and adult volunteers within our deanery and leave it in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Sound advice. The other special person was Amber, one of our young parishioners. She had been on the camps in Lymington and was buzzing with ideas - I want to say ‘on fire’. It was Amber who wanted to have a retreat day here.
From this meeting we arranged, first a prayer meeting at the house of the La Retraite Sisters so we could be guided, and then two more planning meetings.
We launched the publicity by having some of our young people talk after Masses one weekend in March. The Confirmation candidates proved very helpful. This was followed up the next week by flyers and bookings.
The weather was perfect for the day which started 9.30 am for registration and finished at 4.30 pm after the Mass and blessings.
We had warm-up songs to start with and ice-breakers followed by the ‘wool game’ a surprisingly powerful game, not for the sheepish.
Sister Maria gave us a teaching session on God within us and our all being part of His Church. After a shared lunch we were joined by Salisbury deanery priest Fathers Michael, Mark and Tom. All of us took part in a procession with the Blessed Sacrament from church to the hall where we had Adoration and Reconciliation. I wouldn’t say I was surprised but it was lovely to see everybody showing such reverence throughout.
We then got down to the workshops which seemed to go in the favour of the practical creative groups, although a small number joined the contemplative prayer and Rosary workshops.
After song practice and a display from the dance and movement group we all shared in the Mass together, which was wonderful with blessings afterwards and gifts for attendees. Gifts of prayer cards, rosaries, badges, a pebble with someone else’s name on to pray for and the biggest gift of the Holy Spirit.
Many thanks to the whole team including our priests, those who came along and their parents for their support.
The whole event was so special; the flames were fanned for future events.
Robert Windsor
Robert Windsor, our Youth Ministry Coordinator in the Salisbury deanery, writes with news of an inspiring day for young Catholics in the south of our diocese.
On Sunday (19 April) we held our very first ‘Fanning the Flame’ retreat day in Salisbury’s wonderful news St Elizabeth Hall. Thirty of us shared the day in all. It was a great success which we can now develop the flames have been fanned for our deanery.
In October last year I appealed to the deanery for help with our youth ministry, in trying to move it forward. Only seven of us made it around the table. I was hoping for more. I needn’t have worried about numbers because, while everybody around the table was special, there were two people who made a big difference as to how our ministry was to move on.
One of those was Sister Maria Natella, a Dominican Sister from Lymington, who advised me to stop worrying about lack of numbers of young and adult volunteers within our deanery and leave it in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Sound advice. The other special person was Amber, one of our young parishioners. She had been on the camps in Lymington and was buzzing with ideas - I want to say ‘on fire’. It was Amber who wanted to have a retreat day here.
From this meeting we arranged, first a prayer meeting at the house of the La Retraite Sisters so we could be guided, and then two more planning meetings.
We launched the publicity by having some of our young people talk after Masses one weekend in March. The Confirmation candidates proved very helpful. This was followed up the next week by flyers and bookings.
The weather was perfect for the day which started 9.30 am for registration and finished at 4.30 pm after the Mass and blessings.
We had warm-up songs to start with and ice-breakers followed by the ‘wool game’ a surprisingly powerful game, not for the sheepish.
Sister Maria gave us a teaching session on God within us and our all being part of His Church. After a shared lunch we were joined by Salisbury deanery priest Fathers Michael, Mark and Tom. All of us took part in a procession with the Blessed Sacrament from church to the hall where we had Adoration and Reconciliation. I wouldn’t say I was surprised but it was lovely to see everybody showing such reverence throughout.
We then got down to the workshops which seemed to go in the favour of the practical creative groups, although a small number joined the contemplative prayer and Rosary workshops.
After song practice and a display from the dance and movement group we all shared in the Mass together, which was wonderful with blessings afterwards and gifts for attendees. Gifts of prayer cards, rosaries, badges, a pebble with someone else’s name on to pray for and the biggest gift of the Holy Spirit.
Many thanks to the whole team including our priests, those who came along and their parents for their support.
The whole event was so special; the flames were fanned for future events.
Robert Windsor
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