YOUTHQUAKE 2007 - a big success

Youthquake a big success - over 300 young people registered and participated in a weekend retreat with Tim and Raquel from Hard As Nails Ministires from New York and Omar and Lease from the Movement in Barbados. MTV stile retreat with DJ and pure Gospel music rocked the Basseterre High School Auditorium on Friday night, November 9 and that lead to quiet reflection testimonies and Adoration of the Blessed sacrament with the private meeting with the Eucharistic Jesus. Saturday Morning after rousing Morning devotion to the Gospul Music the young people like there was a time to let out our hurts and the powerful witness from Raquel led to many puring out their hearts before others. Some too the opportunity to go to confession. The leeting out the hurts and opening the woulnds led many to tears and healing. After Lunch on Saturday there was a lot of group work and then writing and pinning to a big wooden cross our promises and self-offering to Jesus. The highlight of the day was the GrandRally through the streets of Basseterre, to the musing and rap of Omar and lyrics of Hard as Nails Ministry team. The youth were indeed "on Fire for Christ" in their white T-shirts with the Youthquake emblem in front and "Youth on Fire for Christ" at the back. Sunday mass was the official ending of the Retreat. The Co-cathedral church was full to the brim with young people. many of them stayed with the Retreat team throughout the morning and went for a beach nick in the afternoon. All are looking foraward to the next Youthquake and meanwhile to the Aftershocks which were promised. The first one coming soon.

Announcing....

YOUTHQUAKE

2007

November 9-11, 2007
mark it in your diary !

Brainstorming the philosophy of Catholic Youthquake

It often happens that a Retreat, Youth Jamboree, Youth 2000 Retreat, etc., stands on its own and doesn't send much ripples - the participants have good memories and simply look to another one next year.

Youthquake is a spiritual Retreat that brings young catholics together across the Federation for "spiritual socializing" - as one of the youths expressed. It is something spiritual and it brings people together to know each other and to pray and learn with each other (group interaction is essential).

Youthquake sends ripples in the form of youth-aftershocks or tsunamis -(if the setting for the event is beach or sea). These are held each in different community and prepared in different forms and different themes by the youth of various catholic Communities in the Federation: Basseterre, Molineux, Sandy Point/Old Road and Nevis

The YOUTHQUAKE - weekend retreat is directed by specially invited "experts": a priest, religious sister or lay person/team, etc. (Youthquake 2007 hopefully will be facilitated by a team of young people "Hard as Nails" form New York and Barbados)

However, the series of Youth-Aftershocks and a Youth-Tsunami is envisaged as youth ministering to youth with a very little help of adults. Youth plan it and youth execute it. Nevertheless, there should be an interaction between the youth of various communities in planning the events so that each has a different form and theme and does not become repetitious (and for some youth - boring). The YOUTH-AFTERSHOCKS (or YOUTH TSUNAMIS) are held on weekends, no more than three-hour event on Friday evening, Saturday (morning or afternoon) or Sunday of the consequtive weekends after the YOUTHQUAKE, each one in a different catholic community of the Federation. This follow up is essential!!!!
This is in order not to loose the momentum of the YOUTHQUAKE

Youthquake could be an annual event in the Federation, always in October and November so that the series of aftershocks could end either before advent or definitely before Christmas.

It is hoped that Youthquake and the Aftershocks could bring the catholic youth closer together on our islands, build new friendships and faith-support groups, surface and develop new youth leaders and lay foundations for youth groups and youth ministry in the parishes and communities.

This is just my humble idea how the Youthquake could work - Please kindly send your own ideas and comments - I definitely publish them and post them on this Blog