Welcome to St Peter’s page for Youth Ministry! Here you will find a schedule of upcoming groups and events for 2022-2023, details of those activities and how to sign up, and information on how to contact us if you have any questions or just want to say ‘hello’!
The activities on this page are mainly for those aged 11-17, but if you are looking for resources or information for younger children you can find those here.
Groups
Belong and Believe (Lent 2023)
The Belong and Believe course will run out of the Youth Group slot (Fridays 6:30pm – 8pm) starting on Friday 4th March. Belong and Believe is a 5 week series about the how our Celtic Christian past can help us today. This group is for anyone aged 11-17 and there are parish groups available for any parents who might like to join a group themselves. If you’d like to sign up, please go to the bottom of the page, or come to our first session on Friday 4th March to sign up with a paper form.
Youth Group
Our Youth Group is for anyone aged 11-17. We have weekly sessions on a Friday evening (6:30-8pm). Our sessions include: games and film nights, faith-based sessions, and a chance for you to pick your own topics! Food is provided at every session, alongside refreshments!
Youth Alpha
The Youth Alpha programme is aimed at those aged 11-17. It is a prerequisite for the Confirmation Course, so if you wish to be Confirmed, please make sure to sign up!
Youth Alpha tackles important questions about life and faith in a 10 week programme. The sessions start with a meal together, then a film about the topic for that week which is broken down into questions that we discuss in small groups.
Youth and Young Adults Music Group
The Youth & Young adults music group meets on a Sunday afternoon 3-5pm. We also serve as the Music Ministry once a month for the 5:30pm Sunday evening Mass at St Peter’s (the first Sunday of the month). We welcome anyone who loves playing music and wants to be part of our group! There is space for everyone, of any ability, so please do come along to our practice sessions if you’d like to join!
Confirmation Preparation
Our Confirmation preparation course will take place on Sunday afternoons in February-May/June. We do not know the date for Confirmation yet, but it is usually in May or June. If you wish to be Confirmed, you must be in Year 9-13 (aged 13-17).
Our sessions include teaching towards the Sacrament of Confirmation, food and games!
To sign up for Confirmation and find out more information, please click here.
Events
Youth Sunday
Youth Sunday is an annual celebration which falls on the feast of Christ the King. On this day we celebrate all our Young People, so you will see many of them taking part in the Masses that weekend. This could include welcoming, reading, Altar serving, and being a part of the music ministry.
D-Weekend
D-weekend is a retreat for those in years 7-9 (aged 11-14) run by the Sion Youth Team. Young people from across the country gather and spend a few days growing closer to God and having fun with the Sion team!
Flame
The Flame Congress is the largest Catholic gathering of young people in England and Wales. The theme this year is “Rise Up!” – “Rise up after the pandemic, Rise up as young Catholics, Rise up – as Mary did – for the surprising and beautiful adventure that is our Catholic faith.”
Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage
Most UK diocese have a tradition of going on pilgrimage to Lourdes and Portsmouth is no exception. There are many elements to the Pilgrimage including Torchlight and Blessed Sacrament processions, International Mass, walking in the footsteps of St Bernadette, visits the Grotto, stations of the cross and responding to Our Lady’s call to bathe in the spring waters.
Furthermore, we take a trip into the mountains, taking in the Hautes-Pyrenees culture and for the brave, a mountain hike!
The Diocesan Pilgrimage is for everyone, but young people are especially invited to participate in the great tradition of service in Lourdes.
People of all ages travel to Lourdes to seek healing in the spring waters and spiritual renewal, and wouldn’t be able to participate in the pilgrimage if it wasn’t for teams of volunteers pushing wheelchairs, assisting them around town.
https://www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/discover-faith/support/pilgrimages/lourdes/
Big Church Festival (Big Church Day Out)
Big Church Festival (Big Church Day Out) is a Christian non-profit music festival based at Wiston House in Sussex. There are multiple stages with lots of different styles of Christian worship music. There are a variety of activities available across the site which are suitable for all ages! This is a camping festival, but there is the option for glamping for those who would prefer that option!
Big Church Festival is for anyone; we would specifically like to take a group of young people, but families and individuals are also welcome to come with our wider parish group!
World Youth Day
World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope celebrated about every three years in a different country. The most recent WYD was celebrated in Panama City, Panamá from January 22-27, 2019 and the next World Youth Day will be held in Lisbon, Portugal in 2023.
WYD is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter centred on Jesus Christ together with their peers. This event is an opportunity to personally experience the universality of the Catholic Church, and to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and His Church. World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen your faith and grow closer to Christ, through prayer and the sacraments, together with hundreds of thousands of other young people who share your interests and ambitions.
Fanning the Flame
Fanning The Flame Catholic Mission started in Southampton in 1995, and is an apostolate of Dominican Sisters of St Joseph. Its mission to evangelise and teach young people about the Catholic faith is based on the scripture 2 Timothy 1:6-7:
‘That is why I am reminding you now to fan into flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity but the Spirit of power and love and self control’.
FTFCM aims to enable people to encounter God in a safe and fun environment and to help them to be open to receive and use the gifts of the Holy Spirit.