Last Saturday there was an excellent training day for YCW Chaplains and Companions, hosted by St Antony's Centre in Trafford Park. It was attended by representatives from all over England and Wales, including many of our long serving members but also some new faces interested in joining the movement.
We began the day with a fascinating talk by the acclaimed writer Paul Vallely, who spoke passionately about how Pope Francis has sought to promote the YCW model of See, Judge, Act into his pontificacy and for the Church as a whole. In particular, Paul highlighted the core belief of Pope Francis that "realities are more important than ideas" when it comes to accompanying people through their lives.
Paul has written in more depth on this topic in the latest edition of his book, Pope Francis: The Struggle for the Soul of Catholicism.
Following this, our National Chaplain - Mgr. John Marsland - led a session about how scripture can be used within YCW and Impact groups as a means of helping young people to view their lives in light of the Gospel.
Finally, National President Phil Callaghan gave the group an update on the recent work of YCW. This included feedback from the International Council, held during the Summer in South Korea, and a very successful training weekend in the Holy Land. Phil ended the day by stating that the YCW was growing, with more and more groups being set-up across England and Wales. Fantastic!
Thank you to all those who came along to contribute their ideas and enthusiasm. Your amazing service for the YCW is always appreciated!
