Issue 02 - The Pilgrim - February 2012 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

Behind the scenes The Pilgrim February 2012
A place where our
explore their faith
Catherine Jones, a
member of Southwark
Catholic Youth Services,
explains what St Vincent’s,
the diocesan
residential retreat
centre, in Whitstable,
offers young people
A retreat at St Vincent’s
Centre on the Kent coast
provides young people
time out from the routine
pressures of everyday life
and gives them an opportunity
to reflect on their
lives and to encounter
Christ within the context
of a Christian community.
St Vincent’s can accommodate
groups of up to 35
people.
Our three-day retreat
programmes are designed
for different age groups
between 11-18 and to
meet diverse needs.
During the week, we
welcome school groups,
with usually parish, confirmation
or youth groups
coming at weekends.
Youth ministry staff and
a volunteer peer ministry
team lead our programmes,
working alongside
the visiting chaplains,
catechists, teachers and
youth ministers that
accompany groups.
The retreats are a
unique opportunity for our
young people to build
community, to grow in
their faith and to experience
the joy and energy
of a youthful Church.
The team and staff at
St Vincent’s live as a
Christian community,
providing a strong and
prayerful setting into
which groups are
welcomed.
The peer ministry team
take part in extensive
training at the beginning
of their gap year to help
them explore their own
faith.
This includes Church
teaching and the principles
of youth ministry, as
well as the legal and practical
issues of residential
retreat work.
Through peer education,
friendship and
witness, St Vincent’s aims
to build self-awareness
and self-confidence by
exploring issues relevant
to young people today:
including personal, social,
spiritual and global.
Our programmes make
use of drama, art, film,
music and it to unlock key
themes and engage with
young people in a creative
way.
The team journey
alongside the young
people, guiding them in
games, mealtimes, prayer
and in sharing their
life-stories in a safe and
caring environment.
The high point of the
retreat is the celebration
of the Eucharist, involving
the young people by
means of prayerful preparation,
reflecting on the
Gospel.
On the last morning the
young people affirm each
other in their unique
qualities, helping to build
on their sense of selfworth
as children of God.
Our final liturgy together
encourages the
group to witness to their
faith and to build on
their experience as they
go back to their school or
parish communities.
Young Southwark Pilgrims await the arrival of the Pope for the opening ceremony of World youth day 2011
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