The Diocese of Kerry celebrates Youth Week 20th to 26th April- a dynamic initiative to encourage engagement with young people. An invitation is extended to all parishes to reach out to young people and create opportunities for them to deepen their connection with the parish. This initiative is aimed at teenagers and young adults.
Possible Actions
Parish Liturgy – youth participation in the Sunday liturgy/Youth Mass/choir/music Youth Mass Resource for Youth Week
Sacred Space –prepared by young people in the church for Youth Week
Pilgrimage – pilgrimage or walk in the local area
Fundraiser – cake sale etc.
Care of the Environment -Beach or green area clean up or plant a tree
The Letter– Host a showing of the film ‘The Letter’ for young people
Time Capsule – What it is like to be a young person in 2024
How to Get Involved
Collaborate- Work through Parish Priest and Parish Pastoral Council and adult volunteers to plan engaging, manageable activities for Youth Week
Pastoral Area Initiative: Parishes may decide to coordinate activities at pastoral area level,
Safeguarding measures – Ensure compliance with diocesan policy and practice,queries to Jacklyn McCarthy, Director of Safeguarding
Contact- send details of your event to be included in our social media
DOK TV: We will be having a live broadcast highlighting the events during Youth Week , If you would like to be included – contact us at youthweek@dioceseofkerry.ie
COMPETITION TIME!!!
We are running a ‘Short Video/Photo’ Competition with the theme “My Parish”.
Video entries can be approximately 2 minutes long with “My Parish” as its central theme. As video files are large, we advise you to email us at youthweek@dioceseofkerry.ie. Please include your name, parish and video title and then submit the video to us via www.wetransfer.com. This is a free website and allows large files such as videos.
Photo entries can be emailed to us at youthweek@dioceseofkerry.ie. Once again, please include your name, parish and photo title!
The winning video will grab a top prize of €100 and the best photo will get €50!
Please submit all entries before Friday 19th April.
The winners will be announced on our DOK TV stream at the end of Youth Week, on Friday 26th April and also on all our social media platforms! In the meantime – get creative and have fun!
😍🎬🎸📷
Please click on the link below for Resource for Youth Week
Youth Mass Resource for Youth Week 2024
Care of Creation resource:
Church Grounds Mapping for Biodiversity
If you wish to take on this biodiversity initiative, to make part of the church grounds ‘a haven for pollinators and biodiversity’ as agreed by the Irish Bishops in March 2023, your first task to is map your church grounds. This document aims to help you map your church grounds in simple practical steps. You might also like to watch this video from Heritage in Schools to give an idea of what a biodiversity map looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kkwadM-MY0
- With your group, walk the grounds and draw a simple map of the church grounds
as they are now. Include the church, the boiler- house etc.
- Include any area that is covered in concrete/tarmac. Include any existing features
i.e. flower beds, shrubs, trees, hedges, stream, ponds. nesting sites, seating, carpark, bike stands.
- You have to take into account the following elements:
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- Where is north and south in relation to the site?
- Make a note of the path of the sun from east to west
- Which direction is your prevailing wind coming from?
- Is there a slope and which direction is it facing?
- Is the site at the bottom of a hill, or in the shadow of any forestry or mountains?
- Is any of the land generally wet, or even liable to flooding?
- Using the above information assess, which areas on your map could be used for
biodiversity and planting projects? Remember this is only a wish list, so don’t let
barriers stop you from adding the elements, (e.g. a pond). Apply all the elements of
the site audit and don’t forget to use your imagination to think of any other potential ideas:
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- Herb area
- Sensory area
- Quiet/meditation area
- Paths between
- A living willow structure native
- Compost area for grass cuttings, leaves, small twigs, branches
- Other ideas: e.g. bird/bat boxes, native hedging, apple trees
- Signage
“St. Francis asked that part of the friary garden always be left untouched, so that wildflowers and herbs could grow there, and those who saw them could raise their minds to God, the Creator of such beauty.” – Pope Francis in Laudato Si’, 12
A prayer for our earth to inspire you as you begin: All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Amen. (Full prayer in Laudato Si, 246)
Formulated by Kerry Earth Education Project for Sustainable Environmental Projects, Kerry Earth Education Project, Gortbrack Organic Farm www.gortbrackorganicfarm.com