Brentwood & Westminster Leading the Way Amongst our Youth


How wonderful to hear that our Diocesan Youth Retreat Centre, Walsingham House, which is managed by two fine Catholic young men; Michael Barwick and Leighton Walker, recently received input from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) who help highlight the suffering of persecuted Christians. 

The Walsingham House team in their retreat work often speak about persecuted Christians, with reference to ACN.

Leighton has written some excellent things about the persecution of Christians on his blog, see here. He writes: 
As Christians, we are witnessing the persecution of our brothers and sisters throughout the world. We are not bound by blood, but we are bound by spirit. Let us not forget the words of St Paul about how we are one body with many parts. When one part suffers, every part suffers with it.
I also want to commend Westminster Diocese’s Youth Service for entering into partnership with ACN and highlighting their important ministry: see here.

I believe it so important for more of our diocesan youth services in England and Wales to help promote the ministry of ACN, which is a Pontifical Foundation of the Catholic Church. 

Pope Benedict XVI elevated this charity in 2011 to the status of a pontifical foundation due to its tremendous service to the Church over the years. 

Our Youth through ACN have an important part to play in standing up and taking action against the injustice of their fellow young Catholics suffering persecution across the world. Right now in Syria and Iraq, Christian girls are being kidnapped, raped and killed and young men are being beheaded because they love and profess the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

I think we as Catholics must remember that ‘faith without action is dead’ (James 2:24) and that we will be eternally judged by God to how we reach out to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer for the faith (Matt 25: 31-46, Gal 6:10).

Please donate financially to ACN, pray for their ministry and those who suffer for their faith and especially that youth services up and down the country will support them in their mission.

Keep up the God work Brentwood and Westminster in standing up for persecuted Christians!

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