Remembering Joseph Cardijn's Life

This past Sunday (the 13th) we celebrated the anniversary of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn's birth. Cardijn founded the YCW in 1925 in response to the harsh working conditions he encountered in his native Belgium.

He devoted his life to the movement, aiming to "reconcile the Church with the industrial workers of the world".

He served as an adviser during Vatican II and was made a Cardinal in 1965.

The official cause of canonisation was opened in January 2014 and we continue to pray for the work of the Church tribunal. 

Cardijn's life, work and teachings remain with us today and his See, Judge, Act method is an integral part of how the YCW seeks to develop young Christian leaders. His words about the essential relationship between faith and work remain as true today as when he first spoke them: 

"Religion should not be outside of ordinary, daily life, but rather it should animate and transform it into a truly divine life."

YCW Chaplains and Companions Day

Last Saturday there was an excellent training day for YCW Chaplains and Companions, hosted by St Antony's Centre in Trafford Park. It was attended by representatives from all over England and Wales, including many of our long serving members but also some new faces interested in joining the movement.

We began the day with a fascinating talk by the acclaimed writer Paul Vallely, who spoke passionately about how Pope Francis has sought to promote the YCW model of See, Judge, Act into his pontificacy and for the Church as a whole. In particular, Paul highlighted the core belief of Pope Francis that "realities are more important than ideas" when it comes to accompanying people through their lives.

Paul has written in more depth on this topic in the latest edition of his book, Pope Francis: The Struggle for the Soul of Catholicism.

Following this, our National Chaplain - Mgr. John Marsland - led a session about how scripture can be used within YCW and Impact groups as a means of helping young people to view their lives in light of the Gospel.

Finally, National President Phil Callaghan gave the group an update on the recent work of YCW. This included feedback from the International Council, held during the Summer in South Korea, and a very successful training weekend in the Holy Land. Phil ended the day by stating that the YCW was growing, with more and more groups being set-up across England and Wales. Fantastic!

Thank you to all those who came along to contribute their ideas and enthusiasm. Your amazing service for the YCW is always appreciated!

It's Living Wage Week 2016

We are currently part way through this year's Living Wage Week (Sunday 30th October - Saturday 5th November) and there is good news to report!

The current rates are £9.40 in London and £8.25 in the rest of the UK, but from this week the new rates will be £9.75 in London and £8.45 everywhere else.

The purpose of the week is to raise awareness about the need for a Living Wage and to celebrate responsible employers who pay it.

At the YCW we are committed to promoting the Living Wage as an essential part of ensuring dignity at work.

The video below features an excellent explanation of the theology behind paying a fair wage and is presented by former YCW member Dr Anna Rowlands.  

National Impact Day 2016

The National Team of the YCW in England and Wales would like to invite all Impact members, chaplains and companions to our National Impact Day which will take place on Saturday 16th April in Manchester.

We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming National Impact Day. It will take place on Saturday 16th April at St. John Bosco Parish Hall, 197 Charlestown Road, Blackley, Manchester, M9 7BD.

This is a brilliant opportunity for the young people in your groups to come together, have fun, make friends and see the advantage of being part of a national movement.

If you are looking to start an Impact group, the Impact Day could act as a great opportunity to gather some young people together from your school, parish or local area. They would be made to feel very welcome and may be inspired by the presence of other groups.

Please ensure you have this date in your diary and let all the young people in your group know as soon as possible. The day will run from 10am until 4pm.

 The day will be made up of various activities for the young people and will finish with a liturgy led by the young people and a social where drinks and snacks will be provided. At various points in the day there will be times of reflection, training and sharing for the chaplains and companions. 

CYMFed Flame 2017

The biggest Catholic youth event in the country is back by popular demand! 

On Saturday 11th March 2017, 10,000 young Catholics will gather at Wembley Arena for CYMFed Flame 2017. As a member of CYMFed (Catholic Youth Ministry Federation) the YCW will be present and have already placed an initial booking of 100 seats. This will allow YCW and Impact members from across England and Wales to share this amazing event together.

To book tickets with the YCW and Impact and to take advantage of the early bird discount, please email YCW HQ at: info@ycwimpact.com

For more information on Flame visit www.cymfed.org.uk/flame2017

You can also find Flame on Facebook at 'CYMFed Flame Congress' and Twitter @FlameCongress

A Christmas message from YCW

Some of the defining news stories of 2015 have been the shocking and terrifying accounts of refugees fleeing their livelihoods due to the war in Syria and the atrocities of Daesh in the Middle East. During this season when we hear of how Jesus, at the very beginning of his life, was treated as a migrant outcast, it is pertinent to reflect upon the words of Pope Emeritus Benedict from his Christmas Midnight Mass homily in 2012.

"Inevitably the question arises, what would happen if Mary and Joseph were to knock at my door. Would there be room for them? ...The great moral question of our attitude towards the homeless, towards refugees and migrants, takes on a deeper dimension: do we really have room for God when he seeks to enter under our roof? Do we have time and space for him? Do we not actually turn away God himself? We begin to do so when we have no time for God."

The National Executive Committee of the YCW wishes you all a very happy Christmas.

The National Headquarters of the movement will close on Wednesday 23rd December and will re-open on Monday 4th January 2016. 

The Nativity scene at the YCW Headquarters in Trafford Park, Manchester.