One hundred young adults from CELEBRATE’S Joel’s Bar spent Easter Week with the twenty five Benedictine Monks at Worth Abbey, exploring the theme of our spiritual journey - walking in the Spirit. The invitation to hold the week at the Worth community had come from Abbot Christopher Jamison, and after exploratory visits to the Abbey, some practical discussions, and an on-site team planning weekend, everything was agreed and a programme prepared which blended together the riches of the charismatic renewal and monastic life. The leadership team and an advance preparation party celebrated the Easter Triduum with the monks, and Joel’s Bar arrived in force on Easter Tuesday, including a group from Holland - the leaders of the young people‘s stream at the annual Dutch CELEBRATE Conference. The members of St. Patrick’s Evangelisation School based in Soho and representing seven different countries, came to serve and to participate in the conference, and brought a truly international flavour to the week.

After a bit of adjustment and accommodation, the rather unusual combination of enthusiastic young charismatics and contemplative monks came together beautifully, each being encouraged and blessed by the other. Enthusiastic and up-lifting praise and worship combined with reflective times of silence, the buzz and intimate atmosphere of the theatre where the main talks were given, contrasting with the silence and spaciousness of the Abbey Church where the liturgies were celebrated and wonderful times of quiet prayer experienced. A good number of Joel’s Bar joined the monks for morning and evening prayer in the Abbey Church, while two of the monks played a full part in the conference and attended every session. Abbot Christopher gave an excellent opening talk and was a frequent visitor to the sessions, whilst other monks dropped in for one part or another and the whole community had lunch with the attendees every day.

The main speakers - Abbot Christopher, Michelle Moran, John Martin, Noel Chircop (Malta) - brought challenging and encouraging messages, while the daily tracks covered important topics which were supplemented by the optional workshops and seminars. Fr. Paul Keane, the regular Joel’s Bar chaplain, brought his usual combination of wit and great wisdom in his homilies and the “ask a priest” sessions on apologetics. All this was visually enhanced by the RISE drama group, who joined us for part of the week and presented some of their excellent new pieces. Most of the participants took full advantage of the opportunities for celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and also received prayer ministry at the main sessions. All this was rounded off with the opportunity for sport in the early afternoons, and of course the late evening social times in the bar, which included the very popular Caeli on the Thursday night. The testimonies at the closing Eucharist were very moving, and gave eloquent witness to the many ways the Holy Spirit had been at work during the week. We left on the Saturday afternoon knowing that we had been part of something very special, a particular moment of grace in our spiritual journeys, and with the warm encouragement of the Benedictine Community to return - “you are always welcome here, please come back"

Reproduced with thanks to Good News Magazine. Click here for original article  http://www.ccr.org.uk/archive/gn0805/g08.htm

Reproduced with thanks to Good News Magazine. Click here for original article  http://www.ccr.org.uk/archive/gn0805/g08.htm