Celebrating Peace Building.

Attention all 'New Dayers'

On Tuesday 29th April 2008, during CR Week, we are running a celebration of church peace building in the Black Box, Cathedral Quarter, Belfast.

The evening will run from 7.30 - 10.00pm, there will be input from Steve Stockman and others; with music from the Johnny Parks Band. So bring your young people along to be challenged and inspired to build relationships towards peace.

All Welcome

A Mass to celebrate the memory of young people who have died in the diocese was held in Holy Cross Church, Ardoyne on Thursday 27 November 2007. Bishop Donal McKeown called to mind all the young people from our diocese who had died from whatever cause over the years. He expressed his hope that this event could be build upon over the coming years as a way of keeping those who have gone alive in our hearts and in memories. Music was provided by the Down and Connor Folk Group, and Fr Gary Donegan CP, distributed votive lights to family members of the young people who had died.

The Mass booklet contained the names of young people whose relatives had requested their remembrance in a special way at this Mass. These names are included on our website. The list will be updated on a regular basis, and if you would like a young person to placed on this list, you are asked to forward those names to Youthcom. At this stage we will only accept names from family members, or where a clear assurance is given that the permission of the family has been gained beforehand.

Click here to view photos of this event

The New Day Programme was formally launched by Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern TD in All Saints Youth Centre, Ballymena, on Wednesday 20 November. The launch was attended by young people from schools in Ballymena who are participating in the New Day Programme. They were joined by Bishop Donal McKeown; Monsignor Sean Connolly, Parish Priest; Alderman PJ McAvoy, Deputy Mayor; Mr Declan O'Loan, North Antrim MLA; Mr Brian Gibson, Chair of Youthcom; members of the Management Committee of All Saints Youth Centre, along with full-time youth workers and friends of Youthcom from around the diocese.

Mr Ahern commended the New Day programme as a valuable way for young people to explore the sectarianism that is within us all, often very well covered up, but revealed with just a little scratching of the surface. As well as sharing with the young people his own memories of the early years of "The Troubles", he encouraged those present to use such memories not as way of being imprisoned by the past, but as a means of giving them energy and commitment for the work of reconciliation and peace building.

Brian McKee, Director of Youthcom, thanked the Minister and all those who attended, and encouraged in particular the New Day group which has just begun in All Saints Youth Centre.

If you are interested in finding out more about the New Day Programme contact us at Youthcom.

Click here to view photos of the event.