Bishop Terry's invitation to Young People...

Each week during Lent I will come to Hull, York and Middlesbrough. I hope to meet you there. If you are open to what the Lord is saying, life will never be the same again. I promise. Together, I want us to begin to answer Jesus' challenging question: "Who do you say I am?"

St Mark's Gospel: Who do you say I am?

The demons recognised at once who Jesus is: "We know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus silenced them.

Jesus tried to show his disciples - through his teaching and his miracles. He thought they were beginning to understand. "You are the Christ," Peter said, "the Son of God". But when the going got tough, when the way lead to the cross, they ran.

What about you? Who do you say that he is?

Come and find out for yourself.

Mark's Gospel: Who do you say I am?

Mark is sure he knows who Jesus is. "The Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God" is the first line of his gospel. Jesus tries to show his disciples by his teaching and his miracles who he is. "You are the Christ" Peter said, "the Son of God". What about you? Who do you say he is?

[Source: Middlesbrough Catholic Voice]

I would encourage all young people in Middlesbrough Diocese to get themselves along to their nearest meeting with the Bishop.

York people need to get themselves to English Martyrs on Tuesdays in March (the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th) Hull people need to get themselves to The Endsleigh Centre on Wednesdays in March (the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th) and Middlesbrough people need to get themselves to St Thomas More on Thursdays in March (5th, 12th, 19th and 26th)

This is your opportunity to find out what this religion stuff is all about.

I think it's rather good.

Let me just share one or two things with you.

The Holy Father began by reminding us all that we have been specially chosen and loved by the Father who has called us into existence for a very specific reason.

Rather, he has loved us into existence and wants us to search and find him in all that is good, beautiful and true in our lives and in our world.

That is why we have been given the great gift of freedom. So that we might choose the good, the beautiful and the true. And it is in doing this that we will find genuine happiness.

He said, do not be fooled by those who see you as just another consumer in a market of undifferentiated possibilities. Where choice itself becomes the good, novelty usurps beauty and subjective experience replaces truth.

He reminded us that Christ is truth and only he who is truth can be the way that leads to real life.

What our faith teaches and brings to those who will receive it is life, life in Christ. This is what the Church is all about and we first began to live this new life at our Baptism when God drew us in to his very own life and we became his adopted Sons and Daughters.

Listen to the whole thing...

[mp3 download]

Around a month ago the Diocesan Youth Officer (the Priest in charge of the Diocesan Youth Service) resigned. I remember talking with a friend about possible replacements and my friend was pretty negative.

There's only seemed two options. Either they would pick a mushroom (a fun-guy) who would entertain the kids with jokes, talking about football and recycling tips (sigh) or they would pick somebody good (I thought the existing guy was quite good) but they wouldn't be able to get anything done because of the prevailing culture of pap.

The only way out that I could see would be if the Bishop himself decided to personally see to the task of forming the young people of the diocese. My friend said that there was no way the Bishop would have time. Based on what he says at the end of this message (from about 4:45), I reckon he is going to make time.

Throughout this coming Lent I want to meet with you.

I want us to get together to share, understand more deeply and begin to live Jesus' life giving words. Each week I will come to three different venues in the Diocese for the first four weeks of Lent.

Will you come? I hope to meet you there, and if you listen, if you're open to what the Lord is saying, your life will never be the same again.

I promise.