Youths and faith in Wembley

Finally the moment has arrived of the most important gathering of young Catholics in the United Kingdom and Fr Dermott Donnelly, responsible for pastoral care of youths in the dioceses of Hexham and Newcastle, is working hard for its preparations. The priest is one of the organizers of “Flame 2” which on Saturday March 7 will bring together in Wembley Stadium 7.200 youths aged 15-35 for a day of prayer, music, theatre, dance and reflection that will conclude at 17.30 with the adoration celebrated by Catholic Primate Cardinal Vincent Nichols. “We’re very satisfied”, Donnelly told Silvia Guzzetti for SIR Europe. “We succeeded in involving all the youths we reached out to. The secret of this success is the federation that organizes the event, CymFed, namely, “Catholic Youth Ministry Federation”, that welcomes all those in the dioceses, religious orders, or congregations in England and Wales who have a position of responsibility involving young people, namely, all those appointed by the bishops or by an organization for the pastoral care of young people”. Do you work together all year round? “We do. The members of CymFed meet every four months while the Commission that coordinates the Federation every two. We focus on how to provide opportunities to young people in our society. Everyone is involved in spreading awareness on Flame 2 among young people, extending our action also on practical aspects such as transport”. Do young people taking part in “Flame” continue meeting also during the year? “That’s correct. We tend to believe that Catholic faith means taking part in Sunday Mass, but we also need to invent new occasions of prayer for young people. In my diocese of Newcastle e Hexham, where I am in charge of pastoral care of young people, I can count on a group of 13 volunteers who organize spiritual retreats and other occasions for encounter. The youths meet the first Wednesday of every month for an event called ‘The source’. Some 200-300 adolescents meet to pray and listen to lectures, then they share a meal of hot dogs and French fries. This commitment bears important fruits. My diocese will send 610 young people to the Stadium event. We will provide a dedicated train ride and a private bus to travel 450 km to London. How do you explain this success? “We cultivate personal relations. We continue inviting young people. And even if they say no we keep insisting. When adolescents meet once a month in the dioceses they feel they are no longer alone but that they belong to a larger community, this helps them live the Gospel”. Does it require a lot of time to prepare an event like “Flame 2”? “It takes at least 18 months to draw up the program and a lot depends on whoever is willing to come to talk. The main ingredients are prayer, enthusiasm and topics of debate that will help young people reflect and be of inspiration for them. Adolescents need to be challenged, reassured and celebrated. They must feel important inside the Church”. What is this year’s program of “Flame 2”? “We will start with Matt Redman, a Christian singer renowned worldwide. He will lead the morning prayers that will open the day, followed by a 20-minute meeting with Cardinal Luis Tagle, archbishop of Manila since 2011, one of the youngest cardinals in the Catholic Church, famous for having presented a successful program aired by ABS and CBN networks and for having guided his Church during the difficult days of the typhoon Haiyan in November 2013. We will offer a wide range of activities during lunchtime and in the afternoon we will speak of how to bring the joy of the Gospel in the different moments of our lives”. How come have you decided to dedicate an important part of the programme to mental health? “It’s important that young people know that they are a unique gift of God, that they are exceptional and unrepeatable, and therefore responsible of their mental health. We will approach this theme with a chat show moderated by Sheila Hollins, president of the Professional Board of Psychiatrists of the British Doctors Associations who will seek to dissipate the stigma which is usually associated to mental diseases”.