Catholic Youth Care prepare for the first ever Pope John Paul II Awards

30 Sep 2011

Catholic Youth Care prepare for the first ever Pope John Paul II Awards in Dublin

50 young people from across the Archdiocese of Dublin were the first ever recipients of a John Paul II Award at a special ceremony City Hall on Thursday, 29 September. The awards, for commitment and participation in parish and community events, were presented to the young people by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

The Pope John Paul II Award was created to commemorate the late Pope John Paul II and in memory of his particular commitment to young people.

The Awards were launched by Catholic Youth Care in the Dublin Diocese in November 2010 by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Dublin County Footballer Alan Brogan.

The John Paul II Award is aimed at students in full-time education between the ages of 16-18 years of age. There are four awards; The Papal Cross, Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The John Paul II Award is earned through participation in parish activities, such as reading at Mass or becoming a member of the choir/ folk group, volunteering in the community with organisations such as St Vincent de Paul or becoming involved in local fundraising activities. Participants are also required to prepare and deliver a final presentation of the work carried out and a personal evaluation of any of the activities completed. During the presentation participants must also display a knowledge and understanding of how the activities completed are relevant to the teachings of the Church.

The Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin is the patron of the John Paul II Awards.

Anna Keegan, Evangelisation Officer with Catholic Youth Care and organiser of the John Paul II Awards said, “Catholic Youth Care is very excited about hosting the first ever John Paul II Awards in the Dublin Diocese. The John Paul II Award was established in 2006 and has proven to be very successful in dioceses throughout the country. The John Paul II Awards present a great opportunity for young people to become more actively involved in the life of their parish and community. It also allows them to deepen their faith and to become more aware of the teaching and role of the Catholic Church in the world.”

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Note: Catholic Youth Care (CYC) is a leading provider of youth services in the Archdiocese of Dublin. They provide direct youth work services and support for voluntary youth work in Dublin, Wicklow and parts of Kildare. Catholic Youth Care’s mission is to promote a youth work response that is caring, compassionate and Christian that enables young people to participate more fully in the life of society and Church.

For further information

Carol Faulkner, Communications Office, Archdiocese of Dublin 01 8360723/0876172947