The Youth Ministry team at Knock Shrine, are recruiting for young people to join their summer volunteer programme. It's a great opportunity to spend some time in this wonderful and holy place, meet new people, make new friends and offer some of your holiday time for the benefit of others!
*The VAKS programme can count towards your Pope John Paul II Award*

2024 Volunteering Weekends
July 5th – 7th               
July 12th – 14th
July 19th – 21st
July 26th – 28th
August 9th – 11th
August 13th – 15th (over 18’s – past VAKS only)
August 20th – 22nd
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More information at: https://www.knockshrine.ie/vaks-volunteer-at-knock-shrine/

Information below. For further details and booking, contact: [email protected]

Our friends the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal are celebrating the Feast Day our National Patron, Saint Patrick, with an evening of events in Slane, County Meath.

Find out more information on their website: www.franciscansisterscfr.com/st-anthony

The Knight of Columbanus are organising a Young Adult (18-30) Retreat Day in the beautiful setting of Lough Derg in County Donegal on Saturday 27th April, from 10am to 4pm.
Online Registration
More information
Call: +447759496677
Email: [email protected]

Blessed Carlo was born in London to Italian parents, but grew up in Milan where his family relocated when he was just a child. From a young age, he displayed an extraordinary devotion to his Catholic faith and attended Mass daily, regularly received the sacraments as well as developing a deep love for the Eucharist.
On October 10, 2020, he was beatified by Pope Francis, becoming the first millennial to be declared ‘Blessed’ by the Catholic Church.
The Church said that his beatification highlighted “the significance of his witness, particularly for the younger generation, demonstrating that holiness is attainable even in our modern world”.
Blessed Carlo Acutis would be celebrating his 33rd birthday this year on May 3rd, had he not died of leukaemia in 2006, at the age of 15.  Acutis was known for centring his life around the Eucharist and attending Mass and Adoration daily.

More information on the diocesan website: www.clogherdiocese.ie/carloacutis

Clogher don Óige is returning to Lourdes as part of the 2024 Diocesan Pilgrimage, from 5th-10th July. We are looking forward to gathering and travelling with a group of young people from parishes across the diocese.
FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION HERE.

Please keep our young people and those that work with them in your prayers, especially all those involved with the work we undertake across the diocese.

Below find some ideas and resources to help you celebrate World Youth Day in your parish this weekend....

The best way to celebrate young people is to involve them! 
Readings... Prayers of the Faithful (ideas below)... Collection... Offertory Procession...
​Youth Choir...

​Recognise the Young People in your Parish involved in the Pope John Paul II Award:
Re-present the medals and certificates awarded at our diocesan ceremony on November 10th, or commission the young people who have just started working towards their JPII Award.

​Pope Francis released a message on Tuesday 14 November ahead of the 38th diocesan World Youth Day, which will be celebrated on 26 November 2023.
In his letter, entitled “Rejoicing in Hope”, Pope Francis says that Christian hope is not “facile optimism” but rather certain knowledge of God’s presence among us, and proposes strategies for maintaining and sharing this positivity in dark times.

Hopelessness
“Rejoice in Hope”, the theme of Pope Francis’ World Youth Day letter, is a quotation from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans.
Reflecting on the saint’s words, the Pope says that “youth is a time full of hopes and dreams, stirred by the many beautiful things that enrich our lives: the splendour of God’s creation, our relationships with friends and loved ones… and so many other things.”
However, he notes, we are living in a period of crisis, of war, when “for many people, including the young, hope seems absent.” Many, he says, “feel as if they are in a dark prison, where the light of the sun cannot enter.”
In such situations, Pope Francis asks, “How can we experience the joy and hope of which Saint Paul speaks? When we think of human tragedies, especially the suffering of the innocent, we too can echo some of the Psalms and ask the Lord, ‘Why?’”

Paths toward hope
In his letter, Pope Francis suggests two ways to maintain Christian hope in such difficult times.
The first of these, he says, is to recognise that hope is not “a product of our human efforts, plans or skills.” It is, rather, “born of an encounter with Christ. Christian joy comes from God himself, from our knowledge of his love for us.”
“Christian hope”, the Pope explains,” is no facile optimism, no placebo for the credulous: it is the certainty, rooted in love and faith, that God never abandons us and remains faithful to his promise: ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me’.”
A second method for maintaining hope in the midst of suffering, he says, is to recognise that “we can also be part of God’s answer to the problem.”
“Created by Him in His image and likeness, we can be signs of His love, which gives rise to joy and hope even in situations that appear hopeless,” he says.
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Hope grows when shared
Having received this joy and hope, Pope Francis says, we cannot keep it to ourselves.
“Nurture the spark that has been kindled in you,” he urges, “but at the same time share it. You will come to realize that it grows by being given away!”
In particular, he asks, “Stay close to your friends who may be smiling on the outside but are weeping within, for lack of hope. Do not let yourselves be infected by indifference and individualism.”
We cannot keep our Christian hope to ourselves, “like a warm feeling”, Pope Francis urges. “It is meant for everyone.”

After a break of a number of years due to pandemic related restrictions, we were once again pleased to have Bishop Larry present the Pope John Paul II Award to nearly 100 young people from across the diocese, on Friday 10th November.

Saint Michael’s Church, Enniskillen hosted the diocese's 13th JPII Award Ceremony, an opportunity to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our young people in their parishes and in the wider community, the first group of young people from the Dicoese of Clogher received their award in 2009. 

A huge congratulations to all the young people who received their award, and thanks to the Award Leaders in their parishes who facilitate and journey alongside the participants each year.

Our thanks also to the Knights of Saint Columbanus, who continue to support the Pope John Paul II Award in the diocese, and to Supreme Knight, John Murphy for his presence and his assistance in presenting the awards on the night.