Great Generation: Faith in Action award
Julia from CAFOD’s Youth Team shares her news year’s resolution for the new academic year and shares how young people can do their CYMED Faith in Action Award volunteering with CAFOD.
“The times we live in do not call for young ‘couch potatoes’ but for young people with shoes, or better, boots laced.” Pope Francis, World Youth Day, 2016.
I’ve made a new year’s resolution… I need to go to World Youth Day! Even though by Panama 2019, I’ll be (just!) out of the age bracket, I’ll have to find a group to go with. I know I’ll make it one day!
Download CAFOD resources to support your CYMFED Faith in Action award
Each person I speak to who was in Krakow this year has something amazing to say: ‘Exhilarating’, ‘electric’, ‘joy-filled’. ‘The Pope said some really inspiring and challenging things’. ‘WYD’s about our relationship with Jesus and what we do about that. To be a couch potato or to be active.’
An amazing group of young adults went to WYD in Rio in 2013 with CAFOD – volunteers from the UK alongside CAFOD partners in Brazil including Marianne and Maristely.
You can’t help but feel the energy and inspiration.
The Pope’s gift
In Madrid 2011, Pope Benedict XVI gave Catholic young people YOUCAT, the Catechism
written for young people. In Krakow, Pope Francis gave us DOCAT, guidelines on what to do to change the world through living the social teaching of the Church. Inspired by Jesus’ teaching: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did to me.”
“My dream is to have a million young Christians – or better, a whole generation – to embody the Church’s social teaching by their lives.” Pope Francis, DOCAT.
There’s an energy growing amongst young people in the Church, it’s inspiring and infectious!
Faith in Action award
One amazing way for young people to explore and live out their faith this year is through the CYMFED Faith in Action award. As part of a group in your school or parish you explore scripture and Church teaching and reflect on your faith and the lives of inspiring men and women.
A crucial part of the Faith in Action award is the ‘doing’, you have to do between 20 and 40 hours of service for others. At CAFOD, we’ve put together around 20 ways for you to volunteer from creating and sharing a prayer reflection on justice to planning and running exciting fundraisers.
Download How can I do my Faith in Action volunteering with CAFOD?
We’ve also got a resource checklist for leaders to help them plan and deliver their reflection point sessions for their Faith in Action group.
Download Which resources can I use for our Faith in Action reflection points?
Let’s respond to Pope Francis’ call to action and lace our boots!
Keep up to date with news and new resources from CAFOD’s Youth Team – sign up to the monthly enewsletter.