Mags GarganSharing the joy of their faith and making lifelong friends are the two most common reasons young people give for coming back to the Youth 2000 Summer Festival each year.
Free buses from all corners of the island brought over 1,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 35 to the Cistercian College in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary over the weekend for a festival packed with faith and fun.
The main guest speaker this year was Fr Bob Lombardo CFR, a founding member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, who ministers in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Chicago, in a mission which aims to assist the poor and evangelise through an apostolate of retreats and preaching. He told The Irish Catholic the festival was an energising experience for him and there was a lot of hope for the Church “when you see the energy of the young people and their enthusiasm and zeal”.
He said the most important message he wanted to give the participants is that “the Catholic faith is a treasure”. “To focus on the treasure of our faith and the importance of God and the importance of Jesus’ revelation and teachings. As Pope John Paul II said we don’t need new teachings, we need reminders. What we do here is reminders and helping them to see the importance of their faith,” he said.
A number of workshops were held throughout the weekend with speakers such as Pat Reynolds, Kathy Sinnott, Rob Clarke and Peter Sands, interspersed with games, praise and worship. All night adoration was held each day and a number of priests were available for Confession. Fr John Harris OP celebrated a healing service on Saturday and the papal nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown celebrated the closing Mass on Sunday.
In their own words…
Marie Cummins
“When I first came to the festival some years ago I was pleasantly surprised to find a festival that was a whole of faith and fun. I saw a lot of young people here had a lot of joy. Through Youth 2000 I have met some amazing friends and there is something that draws you back every year to the festival. It’s that joy.”
Tony Okafor
“I really like the way the festival is different to the life you live outside. It is very serene and joyful and it allows you to get close to God. And the people here are amazing friends, some of them I hang around with outside of the retreat – they are lifelong friends.”
Anthony Hartnett
“At first it was about meeting new people and making friends who built me up in my faith and slowly it became about spending time with Jesus in prayer and adoration and hearing amazing speakers and getting to be filled up with my faith. You know that when you go to a Youth 2000 retreat that you will leave knowing God is with you. It is very nourishing.”
Katie Gallagher
“My two sisters are involved in Youth 2000 and I became involved through them. It’s the music, adoration and the people you meet. It’s great to have friends that share the same beliefs as you and you can talk to them and not feel judged. It’s great to meet people of a similar mind set. It’s definitely strengthened my faith and made me see the world a bit differently.”
Wojciech Barski
“I am part of the welcome team and a guardian as well. The first time I came here I was under 18 and the guardians gave so much to me, so much understanding and the joy of our faith, so I wanted to give something back. I was a very shy person but when I came to Youth 2000 and got more involved, I became more confident and started making more friends. From a faith aspect it is the joy, happiness and presence that I can’t live without it.”
Roger Berkeley
“I think it was my brothers that brought me here the first time in 2012 and then I couldn’t not come back. It is a mixture of things. It’s that feeling that you get when you know there is that love and presence. It’s also the friendships that you make. You know they are friendships for life. There is a great buzz and atmosphere here.”
Críostíona Ní Laimhín
“This is my third time coming to the festival. It is the highlight of my summer beyond doubt. You meet so many amazing people and they are all so loving. You see the true meaning of brothers and sisters in Christ. Everyone is so friendly, so willing to help and to accept you as you are. It is so refreshing. I am from a family that is strong in their faith but Youth 2000 gives me that reinforcement. We actually are normal and it is ok to be into your faith.”