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 Bright Lights 2005 A
number of young people from our parish went to the Bright Lights Festival
this Summer at the Spec Centre in Lonon Colney (in the Grounds of All Saints
Pastoral Centre)
We had music .. Emmaus
(they are a group from Dublin who lived in community and have been together
for years .. but this was their last concert ever).
Crossbeam (some of the band live in Southampton and that area, and some live in Hatfield - they're really good!).
Jo Boyce and Mike Stanley (they're in a band called CJM and have written loads of modern Mass music).
Fr Stan Fortuna (he's
from the Bronx in New York where he works in a really run down area - he
used to be a jazz musician - here's a picture of him with his bass
guitar)
We had prayer, adoration, and we had talks from people like John Pridmore
(the Gangsta who became a Worshippa, he's a really big man and wrote a book
called Gangland to Promised Land - it's about how he stopped being a bouncer
and a gangster and became a Catholic).
Fr. Abuna Elias Chacour (he's a
Catholic priest whose familiy were Palestinian Christians - he was born near
Galilee, and he's been a Nobel Peace Prize candidate not long ago. Here's
a picture of Fr Elias Shacour talking to us.
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What IS Bright Lights?
Bright
Lights was the inspiration of Mgr. Vladimir Felzmann around over a decade
ago. A weekend Festival for young people, aged 16 - 30, set in the beautiful
grounds of All Saints Pastoral Centre at London Colney; a place where they
could discover something more about themselves, others and God in a safe
and relaxed environment; a place where they could experience something of
the depth and diversity of the Catholic Church and share their own faith
and experiences with others of their own age-group and outlook.
A
Core Group was established. It drew from a number of Christian movements
in the Diocese of Westminster: the SPEC community - based at All Saints,
Focolare, the Prince of Peace community, the Upper Room Community, Youth
2000. . . to name but some.
From
this pool of gifts, talent and expertise the first Bright Lights Festival
was born. A marquee sprung up in the field outside the SPEC building, there
was lights, sound, bands, an impressive line-up of speakers, workshops, prayer,
Reconciliation, Mass, barbeque, sports and fun. And the people came. A host
of small tents mushroomed around the central marquee area. Bedrooms in the
Pastoral Centre and dormitories in SPEC were filled. The first Bright Lights
was a success and the evaluation forms spoke enthusiastically about the opportunity
for change and growth that this weekend had opened up in many young lives.
This
year was the 10th Bright Lights, and a huge number of parishes were be represented,
making it the most comprehensive gathering of young people in Westminster
Diocese yet. The marquee was bigger than ever, and there was great
live music., be inspiring speakers, workshops, activities and prayer.
The
young people in our parishes are the Church of the future. They need to be
equipped to carry the faith forward into the 21st century. Bright Lights
is one way to contribute to their growth and formation. It is a sound investment
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And
here's another picture of Fr Elias Shacour him on the above, talking, and
one below of him sitting with us all listening to on of the other speakers..
