Members of the National Team visited the YCW Group in Burnley to hear more about their exciting plans to build links with CAFOD and establish an IMPACT group across Burnley.
The Group talked through their ideas as part of Salford Diocese's "Hope in the Future", an initiative designed to help grow the Church for future generations; and answer the call of Pope Francis for us all to be Missionary Disciples.
The young people are planning on working with CAFOD in the Diocese to help raise awareness of the links between our local environment and God's call for us to be stewards of creation. They will be helping build and sell "B.O.B. boxes", dual purpose bird-nesting or bat roosting boxes, that can be used locally but raise money to spend on supporting CAFOD’s work overseas.
Marc Besford, YCW National Training and Development Worker, welcomed the initiative saying: "This is a brilliant way of engaging young people in Parishes and I am glad that the YCW are helping lead the way with it. By making the connections between local and global needs, these young people are truly putting the SEE, JUDGE and ACT method into practice. I look forward to my next visit."
The Group are also looking to expand the work of the YCW across Burnley. In particular, they are keen to establish an IMPACT Group for younger people beyond just their Parish.
Fr John Marsland, National Chaplain of the YCW, said: "Reaching out beyond their own Parish and peer group is a really encouraging sign that they are responding to Cardijn's call for young people to become leaders in their own right. We will give them all the support they need to develop these leadership skills."
