Palmerston North
March 2014
Kathleen Field
The Young Catholic Leader programme in the Diocese of Palmerston North continues to grow in popularity and diversity.
Begun in the diocese in 2011 with 29 Year 12 students from Catholic colleges, it has grown to 52 young people at last December’s camp, five of whom were from nonCatholic colleges.
The programme has morphed a little, too. All the great aspects of Fr Mark Wall sm’s original programme continue – group work, personal challenge, taking responsibility for creating community and for leading prayer and liturgy. But, with the highropes course out of action, we devised instead a series of rotations for day four. These explore stress from every aspect of the holistic model of health, Te whare tapa wha – spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical.
The young leaders pray a labyrinth and take an Emmaus walk, consider how to plan their time effectively, share in a story of emotional stress and deal with the physical stress of rock climbing and abseiling.
As a YCL leader, what amazes me most about this programme is the incredible journey the young people go on throughout the course.
Their initial approach to the programme can be anything from shy and tentative to outright reluctant.
They leave full of confidence, enthused and ready to lead their schools.
Some participants’ comments after the course:
‘It’s changed the way I see things. It’s helped me be more courageous which is a big deal for me.’
‘I have learnt how to relate to people better, better ways to lead which will help me for senior leadership year.’
New Zealand Catholic Bishops Meet Pope
WelCom December 2019 The New Zealand Catholic bishops met Pope Francis for an 80-minute private audience in the Vatican on Monday 28 October during their Ad Limina visit to Rome. …
‘The Grace of God Has Appeared’
WelCom December 2019 Cardinal John DewArchbishop of Wellington ArchdioceseApostolic Administrator of Palmerston North Diocese Every year at Christmas Midnight Mass I am in awe at the words of the Letter…
‘One Body in Christ’
WelCom December 2019 On Tuesday 5 November, within days of returning from Rome where the New Zealand bishops met with Pope Francis, Cardinal John Dew visited the Diocese of Palmerston…