Westminster Diocese wants to give young people 'sense' of church

The Catholic Diocese of Westminster has laid out fresh proposals to give young people a “sense” of the church and parish in their transition to adulthood.

The diocese said the proposals aimed to provide a more visible ‘shop front’ for diocesan youth provision.

They include the opening of a youth church at Our Lady Queen of Heaven at Queensway to foster the involvement of young people in their own parishes.

The diocese’s day and residential retreat programmes for schools and parishes will also be strengthened under the new plans.

Director of the Diocese of Westminster’s Agency for Evangelisation, Michael O’Boy, said the proposals were intended to help parishes provide young people and especially those who have already been confirmed with support on their journey to the workplace.

He said the diocese wanted to give young people a “definite sense of the church and parish accompanying them through the challenges of adolescence, the discernment of their vocation, and their transition into the world of work as well as further and higher education”.

“At present only a small number of diocesan parishes make use of our youth centres and much of this work is with school groups and young people in Key Stages 2 & 3,” he said.

“I hope that all those involved in reaching out to and working with young people will react positively to these proposals,” he said.

The proposals will be subject to consultation throughout October with parishes and those involved in youth ministry within the Diocese of Westminster.