In the month of June, Fr John Mcgowan (Carmelite Priest) asked me to join him in the running of a youth group growing in faith. I was very pleased to be able to work with him in this field of the vocation apostolate.
For that, we meet every Friday in the Carmelite Parish in Kensington. The group called itself: Living Flame Youth Group. Every time, we star with a time of prayer, sometime of adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament. After that, Fr John or Fr Theo give us a talk on different documents of the Church. Later on, we discuss it in small groups, and there is also time for questions and answers.
Up until now, we have been studying and reflecting on the following documents: The final document of the Synod of Bishops on the Youth; Christus Vivis; Dei Verbun and lately we are reflecting on the upcoming Synod on Sinodality.
Furthermore, at least once a month, we have one hour of adoration and the practice of the Lectio Divina with the Word of God for the following Sunday. At the end of all our meetings, there is social time with drinks and snacks. People normally bring something to share with the group.
During this period, we have also gone on several pilgrimages: First to Our Lady of Walsingham; then we went to Tyburn Convent and to Westminster Cathedral. The last pilgrimage was on the 9th of October, when we went to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in Aylesford. These pilgrimages help the group come together, share and grow in faith.
The group is growing and, at present, there are between 20 and 30 young adults who want to help each other through life and their growing faith in Jesus Christ.
Above all, I feel honoured to be part of this group and help in any way I can. Several of them have come to see me here at St Teresa’s, and have expressed a desire to do voluntary work with our residents. They have also expressed their interest in our religious life as Sisters Hospitallers and our Mission of Hospitality.
– Sr Isabel, Sister Hospitaller at St Teresa’s Care Home, in London.
