Flame 2012



Flame; Twitter is alive with positive feedback about this youth event, which took place on Saturday 24th March, with 8,000 young Catholics at Wembley Arena. 

My oldest son, William, went along with his school and had a great time. He also found he knew lots of other people there who were attending with parishes or as part of their confirmation programme this year.

I came across this post from a Youth Worker on Twitter. It struck me as a feeling I clearly remember, returning from an inspiring week in Lourdes or retreat at Walsingham House. Parish worship seems dreadfully drab by comparison, lack-lustre and dull.

​​Thankfully, William returned animated with talk of vocation, and was able to immediately immerse himself in the beauty of the Mass at our fantastic parish Church Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday morning...He was then hungry to return to the Church to take part in Vespers & Benediction in the evening, which he raved about afterwards! Thank you Father Kevin, that I don't have to worry about my sons coming home from fabulous events like Flame to a dead liturgy!




If you have some sympathy with what is being said here, the question I suppose you are asking is what do we do about this? I think very clearly, the answer is that we have to cultivate a more discerning attitude to liturgy. We need to support the priests who do liturgy well, and stay away from parishes which are dull, uninspiring and often, downright heretical! If your parish priest takes liturgy seriously, those in the congregation will too!

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