Brentwood Catholic Young Adults

Who organises this stuff?

The events run for Young Adults are run by Young Adults who have offered their time, energy and skills to get the events on the road.

Find out who some of these people are and why they are involved with the BCYA by reading below.

Fr Dominic
Chaplain

It is brilliant to be chaplain to the BCYA, to know a group of young adults who are happy to welcome anyone and who are able to be as diverse as praying on a field with 250,000 others at World Youth Day, chatting to a 92 year old pilgrim in Lourdes, asking searching and powerful questions about current affairs and issues of justice in the world, swinging from a climbing pole 90 feet in the air, reflecting quietly on retreat at Douai Abbey, playing a trumpet at Liverpool Street station or swimming in St Katherine's dock to raise money for charity, consoling each other in tough times and celebrating with each other when there is good news.

If you are a young adult Catholic looking for somewhere to be involved, I invite and encourage you to be part of this.

As someone new to the youth service five years ago, it was many of this group who welcomed me, and along the way as Youth Chaplain they have been the ones to ask the questions that have made a difference to the way that I have done things.

They are a wonderful group - come and see!

Andy
(aged 24)

I first went to Lourdes with the BCYA in the summer of 1999, yet my involvement stretches back even further than that if you include retreats to Walsingham House and other youth events.

I have made 11 pilgrimages to Lourdes since then with the BCYS in both the summer and Easter, whilst more recently I have travelled with HCPT Group 206 - and I have even been to Taize twice with East Anglia Diocese!

It has lead to me becoming at confirmation catechist in Our Lady Immaculate/Holy Name parish in Chelmsford as well volunteering for CAFOD for a number of years - they even sent me to Ethiopia last summer!

I am also an RE teacher, something I think has been inspired by my journey of faith that began with my involvement with the BCYS.

I now want to change my involvement within the BCYS by putting my energy and skills into the BCYA, a group who I know will achieve great things.

I look forward to sharing my own experiences, whilst listening to those of others.

I want to show people new things, and can't wait to learn new skills and try new things myself.

Nick Tisi
(aged 33 and two thirds)

I've been involved in the BCYS (and now the BCYA!) since 1997.

In that time, I have met some truly amazing people, many of whom I count as my closest friends.

But then that's what happens with the BCYA; sharing incredible experiences with like-minded people will be something that will stay with you forever.

I love being able to help "make a difference"; learning from each other about how to live your faith; being part of a dynamic, truly exceptional group of people; helping a group of young people through a week in Lourdes (a huge privilege and joy); convincing the same young people on a cold October evening at Youth Gather that sleeping in tents is fun!; sharing stories and having a chat over a weak lager shandy; raising the roof during Mass; being proud to be a Catholic.

To be in the BCYA is to be part of something special - it means so much to so many people, and it could be just what you were looking for...

Teresa
(33 ¾)

It is about five years ago since I started working for the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service and it didn't take me long to realise that I wasn't just coming into an organisation but a community of people who really cared for each other.

One of the ways I see that the most clearly is through the young adults who volunteer to serve at the events we run.

With the development of the BCYA those people, and hopefully many others, receive something for themselves.

My role in the Youth Service is in Training and Resources and I am glad to be part of the BCYA and all it has to offer young adults in East London and Essex.

Tim Andrews
27 and a bit

In 1997 I turned 16: Princess Diana and Mother Teresa both died; Elton John was number one for 5 weeks and Barbie Girl sold 1.5 million copies. It was a terrible, terrible year. Everyone wanted a Tamagotchi before realising they were rubbish, Leo Di Caprio was The King Of The World and Apple wouldn’t invent the iPod for 4 more years. Celine Dion still got played on the radio.

Just seeing these facts now makes me shudder. Astonishingly though, for me at least, 1997 wasn't all bad: I went to Lourdes with the BCYS for the first time that year and it changed my life forever.

I'm 27 now and since then I've been back to Lourdes 15 times, been to at least 10 Youth Gathers, plus a bunch of Junior Sports Days, a few swimming galas and lot of Youth Masses. And I've met some of the best people I will ever meet in my life, some of whom I know I'll be friends with forever.

When I look back over my life I remember 1997 with real fondness and, given the evidence, that is pretty amazing. Sadly, Celine still haunts my dreams with her banshee wailing but you can't have everything.

Ciaran Griggs / Lord FIMM
Manager - Equity Derivatives - Barclays Capital

4 Easters, 9 Summers. Not a weather forecast but my list of trips to Lourdes.

3 Summers as a young person, 6 Summers as a leader.

Despite the large number of trips, I'm a surprisingly youthful 26 years of age. The Brentwood Catholic Youth Service has been a major part of my life since I was 13 years old.

I met my best man at a summer trip way back in 1997 and count a large number of the people from the youth service as very close friends of mine.

BCYA gives young adults the chance to thrive in a setting of love, happiness and acceptance. Come one, come all!