A recent collaboration between the Columbans in Britain and Million Minutes saw young Catholics come together for a series of online formation sessions during lockdown.
Special guests included Matthew Van Duyvenbode from The Trussell Trust, discussing foodbanks, and Katrina Alton CSJP on vocation, prayer and protest.
One participant, Anna Fraine, with the support of the Columbans, has gone on to write a new resource, ‘Prepare the Future’ for use by youth leaders and teachers in secondary schools.
It helps young people reflect on their experience of Covid-19 through the eyes of the Gospel, answering Pope Francis’s call for young people to ‘prepare the future’ now, and not passively ‘prepare for the future’ created by others.
“I hope this resource encourages young people not only to take action in their own lives but also shape for themselves a new way of being in the world, not shying away from spirituality,” Anna has said.
Daisy Srblin, Director of Million Minutes, hopes the resource, “will enable young people from around the country to process the trauma they have experienced, to explore the role of faith in that journey, and to build the sort of future they deserve.”
Columban Justice and Peace Education Worker in the British region, James Trewby, notes that the initiative, “fits so well with the Columban commitment to justice, peace and care for creation – and supporting young people in putting their faith into action for the common good”.
https://millionminutes.org/future
This article is from the Winter 2020 issue of the Columban Social Justice newsletter ‘Vocation for Justice‘. It can be downloaded here: https://columbans.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Vocation-Sept-20-Web.pdf