Youth Week

from Sat 20th to Fri 26th April

The Diocese of Kerry are delighted to announce the upcoming celebration of Youth Week 2024, a dynamic initiative to encourage engagement with young people .  An invitation is extended to all  parishes  to reach out  to young people and  create opportunities for them to deepen their connection with the parish. This initiative is aimed at teenagers and young adults.

 

Possible Actions

Parish Liturgy – youth participation in the Sunday liturgy/Youth Mass/choir/music

Sacred Space –prepared by young people in the  church for Youth Week

Pilgrimage – pilgrimage or walk in the  local area

Fundraiser – cake sale etc.

Care of the Environment -Beach or green area clean up or plant a tree

The Letter–      Host a showing of the film ‘The Letter’ for young people

Time Capsule – What it is like to be a young person in 2024

 

How to Get Involved

Collaborate- Work through Parish Priest and Parish Pastoral Council and adult volunteers to  plan engaging, manageable activities for Youth Week

Pastoral Area Initiative:  Parishes may decide to coordinate activities at pastoral area level,

Safeguarding measures –  Ensure compliance with  diocesan policy and practice,queries to Jacklyn McCarthy, Director of Safeguarding

Contact- send details of your event to be included in our social media

DOK TV: We will be having a live  broadcast highlighting the events during Youth  Week , If you would like to be included – contact us at  youthweek@dioceseofkerry.ie

 

COMPETITION TIME!!!

As part of our upcoming Youth Week which runs from 20th – 26th April, we are running a ‘Short Video/Photo’ Competition.

The theme of this competition is “My Parish”.

Video entries can be approximately 2 minutes long with “My Parish” as its central theme. As video files are large, we advise you to email us at youthweek@dioceseofkerry.ie. Please include your name, parish and video title and then submit the video to us via www.wetransfer.com. This is a free website and allows large files such as videos.

Photo entries can be emailed to us at youthweek@dioceseofkerry.ie. Once again, please include your name, parish and photo title!

The winning video will grab a top prize of €100 and the best photo will get €50!

Please submit all entries before Friday 19th April.

The winners will be announced on our DOK TV stream at the end of Youth Week, on Friday 26th April and also on all our social media platforms! In the meantime – get creative and have fun!

😍🎬🎸📷

 

Care of Creation resource:

Church Grounds Mapping for Biodiversity

If you wish to take on  this biodiversity initiative, to make part of the church grounds ‘a haven for pollinators and biodiversity’ as agreed by the Irish Bishops in March 2023, your first task to is map your church grounds.  This document aims to help you map your church grounds in simple practical steps. You might also like to watch this video from Heritage in Schools to give an idea of what a biodiversity map looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kkwadM-MY0

  1. With your group, walk the grounds and draw a simple map of the church grounds

as they are now. Include the church, the boiler- house etc.

  1. Include any area that is covered in concrete/tarmac. Include any existing features

i.e. flower beds, shrubs, trees, hedges, stream, ponds. nesting sites, seating, carpark, bike                  stands.

  1. You have to take into account the following elements:
    • Where is north and south in relation to the site?
    • Make a note of the path of the sun from east to west
    • Which direction is your prevailing wind coming from?
    • Is there a slope and which direction is it facing?
    • Is the site at the bottom of a hill, or in the shadow of any forestry or                    mountains?
    • Is any of the land generally wet, or even liable to flooding?
  1. Using the above information assess, which areas on your map could be used for

biodiversity and planting projects? Remember this is only a wish list, so don’t let

barriers stop you from adding the elements, (e.g. a pond). Apply all the elements of

the site audit and don’t forget to use your imagination to think of any other potential ideas:

    • Herb area
    • Sensory area
    • Quiet/meditation area
    • Paths between
    • A living willow structure native
    • Compost area for grass cuttings, leaves, small twigs, branches
    • Other ideas: e.g. bird/bat boxes, native hedging, apple trees
    • Signage

“St. Francis asked that part of the friary garden always be left untouched, so that wildflowers and herbs could grow there, and those who saw them could raise their minds to God, the Creator of such beauty.” – Pope Francis in Laudato Si’, 12

A prayer for our earth to inspire you as you begin: All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Amen. (Full prayer in Laudato Si, 246)

Formulated by Kerry Earth Education Project for Sustainable Environmental Projects, Kerry Earth Education Project, Gortbrack Organic Farm www.gortbrackorganicfarm.com

Please click on link below to access the Youth Mass Resource

Youth Mass Resource for Youth Week 2024

 

#youthweek #dioceseofkerry