Speaking Out on Faith
Mike at the Pantheon in Rome |
Lou & I had a lovely surprise this week when some friends contacted us to let us know that our second son, Michael, was featured in the local newspaper. The report was about a local public speaking competition which Mike had been representing his school at the finals of.
His teacher had this to say about his performance:
Michael Lambert performed admirably well in the Jack Petchey public speaking regional finals, delivering a very passionate and moving speech about his faith. It was great to hear such a powerful Catholic message delivered so eloquently by one of our pupils. While he did not get through to the national finals, many people congratulated him and even said he should have won! —Mr P Griffin.
Established in 1999, The Jack Petchey Foundation gives grants to programmes and projects that benefit young people aged 11-25.
The Foundation exists to raise the aspirations of young people, to help them take advantage of opportunities and play a full part in society.
The Foundation sponsors the ‘Jack Petchey's Speak Out Challenge!’ a public speaking competition run by Speakers Trust in schools throughout London and Essex. It is the largest speaking competition for young people in the world; over 70,000 year 10 students from 32 boroughs in London and 14 districts in Essex have now participated in the challenge.
The students have the opportunity to talk openly and honestly on any subject they feel strongly about. Every student receives up to six hours of training in the skills of public speaking and effective communication from professional trainers.
The Foundation exists to raise the aspirations of young people, to help them take advantage of opportunities and play a full part in society.
The Foundation sponsors the ‘Jack Petchey's Speak Out Challenge!’ a public speaking competition run by Speakers Trust in schools throughout London and Essex. It is the largest speaking competition for young people in the world; over 70,000 year 10 students from 32 boroughs in London and 14 districts in Essex have now participated in the challenge.
The students have the opportunity to talk openly and honestly on any subject they feel strongly about. Every student receives up to six hours of training in the skills of public speaking and effective communication from professional trainers.
We were really proud that Mike made it through to the finals. I was a bit shocked at his choice of subject matter, but through the rounds, he spoke with passion and confidence. He didn't win, falling foul of the strict time limits in the end, but he was contacted by several people who were very impressed by his speech. This letter was sent to his Head Teacher:
This is Mike's speech:
Jack Petchy Speech
Faith. What is Faith?
In a society filled with recession, terrorist fears and celebrity idolisation;
what does it mean for a young person, any person, to have Faith? I would like
to tell you all a story about my
journey of Faith.
During the summer of
2009 my father bought a new car, something he had always aspired to do. My two
brothers, my sister and I were terribly excited and naturally we argued over
who would get the first ride. Within a week or so of owning the car everyone
had been in for a ride, everyone except my little sister Ruth. No one really
thought much about the situation so no one really thought it mattered when my
sister went with my father for a ride one evening after dinner. It wasn’t long
later however that my older brother William and I heard screams coming from
down the hallway. We ran to find out what was happening, the screams were
coming from my mother, she was on the phone to my father, the car had crashed…
and my sister was dead.
The period after the
crash was incredibly hard for my family, more so for my father who was driving
the car and somehow managed to survive. He had trouble sleeping, one night he
managed to drift off to sleep and in his dream he was visited by my sister. When
she spoke to him she told him not to worry about her, that she was safe with
God and that most importantly to have Faith in God that everything would turn
out well. Looking back on all that has happened, Faith saved my family, we
leant on each other and clung to God.
Albert Einstein once
said – “There are two ways to live your life, one is as though nothing is a
miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.” There are many
miracles that occurred to my family, the recent (and significant) having
happened in October 2011. My family were on holiday in Gozo, an island just off
the coast of Malta. In Gozo there is a church called the shrine of our lady of
Ta' Pinu. At the back of this church there is an Altar and a chance to write
petitions to be offered up in prayer. My family all knelt and prayed but my
mother and father proceeded to write petitions and leave them by the altar. It
was a wonderful experience but it was never mentioned again… that is until
three months later at Christmas 2011. My family had just set off for a walk when
my mother and father turned to my brother and I and announced that we were to
have a new brother or sister; we were absolutely astounded by the news and so
happy for our parents. Later that evening sat around the fire talking about
baby names and dates etc. my mother and father told me that at the shrine of
Ta' Pinu, they had both prayed to Our Lady to bless our family with another child…
Coincidence? I’ll let you decide.
On the 27th
of July 2012, baby Mary Therese Lambert was born into the world. She has
brought so much joy to so many people and we continue to cherish our every
moment with her. I would like to leave you with some last words, “Without the
darkness, there can be no light!”
What an excellent piece - please give him congratulations from somebody he doesn't know, whom he has touched.
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