From St Peter’s Square: A Final Tribute to Pope Francis

Reflection written by Kate Wilkinson, CEO of Million Minutes

Today, as I sit in St Peter’s Square, surrounded by people from every corner of the world and to my delight a huge amount of young people, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary life and pontificate of Pope Francis. The weight of this moment is hard to put into words. 

We have lost a pastor, a teacher and for us at Million Minutes: a guiding light. The atmosphere here is quite solemn, but there is a huge feeling of gratitude. That gratitude was shown so beautifully to me in the many rounds of applause that echoed around St Peter’s square as the Pope’s mortal remains were processed into the square at the beginning of the funeral mass and at the end as he made his final journey to his resting place. The crowds of young people, originally here for the Jubilee of Teenagers sum up for me the incredible legacy of Pope Francis. 200,000 of them are here, with flags and banners thanking Pope Francis for all he has done for them and the Church. Speaking to some of them, they see Pope Francis as someone who created space for them in the Church, a place where they could belong and be themselves. Many speak of how he has inspired them to strive to make the world a better place and stand up for the rights of others and against injustice. Many speak of his witness and the love that he showed to others, particularly the poor and the marginalized. I can’t help but feel that it is absolute providence that the Pope’s death and funeral coincided with this Jubilee of Teenagers, it showed the true reach of his pontificate and example. The crowd gathered for this funeral Mass shows the diversity of the Church and the diversity of all those deeply affected by his life and example. The presence of the young people in St Peter’s square this morning brought a hopeful atmosphere; although a sad and solemn occasion, the young people wanted to celebrate the life of this wonderful man, and their witness to the resurrection hope and joy was felt by everyone gathered.  

From the moment Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony in 2013, he made it clear that his mission would be one of simplicity, humility and radical closeness to people, especially the young, the poor and the excluded. He didn’t just talk about young people; he listened to them. He made space for them. He believed in them. For all of us who work with young people, that belief is something more than comforting, it was a challenge to do better, a call to action. His words in Christus Vivit still echo in my mind today. He reminded the Church, and the world, that young people are not ‘the future’, they are the present. They have dreams, voices and ideas that are needed here and now, and our job is to walk beside them. That belief has shaped the work of Million Minutes in many ways. It gave us permission to think bigger about what young people could do, and it reminded us that the Church should always be a place where they are seen, heard and celebrated.  

Pope Francis spoke often of accompaniment, about walking with people on the adventure of their life. That’s what we strive to do in every conversation, every project and every partnership. His example of leadership, a leadership rooted in mercy, compassion and deep listening, set a standard we will continue to aspire to.  

Today, as I sit here after his funeral, I know we haven’t just lost a pope. We’ve lost a friend to the young, a voice of the voiceless, and a leader who truly believed the Church could be better, braver and more loving if we let young people help to shape its future. Pope Francis’s final gift to us is the ongoing challenge to build that kind of world. His legacy lives on every time a young person is given space to lead, every time their voices are heard and every time the Church opens its doors wider than before.  

On behalf of everyone at Million Minutes and the many young people whose lives have been touched by his words and witness, thank you Pope Francis. You walked with us. You believed in us, and we will carry your vision forward.  

May you rest in peace, good and faithful servant.  

From Silence to Action: Young People Act Loud for Change this Lent

This year Million Minutes ran SiLENT 2025, our Lent fundraising campaign. However, we wanted to introduce something new. We wanted to really empower participants to turn those moments of silent reflection and prayer into action: so we introduced ActLoud.

The enthusiastic response to this new element of the campaign has been amazing to see, so we wanted to use this post to highlight some of the impressive stories we have heard about what young people have been up to and how they have gotten involved in their communities - embracing silence and acting loud. 

Action Impact Youth Group of St Bede's Catholic High School, Lytham St Annes

St Bede’s Catholic High School committed themselves to ActLoud, where they worked with the Salvation Army in Blackpool, providing them with a donation of £300 for the Bridge Project, which feeds vulnerable people at lunchtime; they also donated a further £100 towards providing Easter eggs for disadvantaged children.

This fundraising was carried out by a group of Year 8 students, as part of an youth-led inter-faith project from St Bede's working with support from the Sisters of St Joseph of the Peace based in Nottingham.


Romero Impact Youth Group of Our Lady's Catholic High School, Preston

Year 8 students of the Romero Impact Youth Group, with the help of School Chaplain Sarah Lee, were inspired to organise a cake sale in school to raise funds for the Salvation Army Foodbank in Preston to support vulnerable families, and provide Easter eggs for disadvantaged children.

The youth group alongside Year 9 students also visit a Community Care Home project every two weeks, talking and playing games with the care home's residents.



Students of McAuley Catholic High School, Doncaster

Students in the upper school have taken part in SiLENT in various ways, including: having silent form prayer on Friday mornings, handing their phones to the Chaplain for the day, and some have even pledged their own personal silence.

Meanwhile, for Act Loud, both the lower and upper school have: gotten involved in litter-picking on the school's grounds, building a "kindness wall" with messages of hope, as well as raising awareness of social justice issues during assembly time.

The SiLENT 2025 campaign has truly been a beacon of inspiration, showcasing the power of silence and action in creating meaningful change. The creativity and dedication of young people from across these schools have been nothing short of remarkable. 

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all who have donated, participated, and supported SiLENT 2025. Your contributions have not only helped amplify the voices of young people but have also created ripples of hope and justice in communities far and wide. Together, you've made this campaign extraordinary.

Here's to continuing the journey of silence, reflection, and action in the years to come!

Welcome to Katerina - Our Communications Volunteer

We sat down with Katerina, our communications volunteer, to talk about what inspires her and her favourite Christmas traditions.

 
 

Q. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Thirteen years ago, I came to this country driven by curiosity and a desire to explore. Now, I’m a proud mum to a young daughter who attends a Catholic school, where she’s learning the values of compassion, community, and dignity—values that resonate deeply with me. 

After spending six years raising my family and pursuing further education, I felt it was time to focus on my own personal and professional growth. That’s why I took the chance to volunteer with Million Minutes, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience. 

Q. Why did you decide to volunteer with Million Minutes?

I decided to volunteer with Million Minutes, because I wanted to be part of something meaningful. I believe we are raising a generation of smart, alert, and inquisitive children who have a voice and a vision for the world they live in. These young people are deeply aware of the importance of fellowship, justice and mutual respect, and we must ensure that their voices are heard. By providing them with the necessary resources and support, we empower them to make positive, lasting changes in the world. While I am not a Catholic myself, I’ve seen the positive impact faith and community support can have on young people which is why I was driven to get involved with its mission and help engage more parents and families in supporting the cause.

Q. What have you enjoyed about volunteering with Million Minutes

What I’ve enjoyed most about volunteering with Million Minutes is the variety of exciting and meaningful projects. Whether it’s writing a press release for the launch of Adventurous Accompaniment, summarizing impactful reports like the Synod on Synodality document or the Boundary Breaking project, or drafting content for social media and newsletters, each task has felt purposeful. 

One of my favourite moments has been our team brainstorming meetings. There’s something so energizing about working together to find solutions or spark new ideas. Everyone contributes, building on each other’s thoughts—it feels like solving a puzzle as a team (and I love puzzles). Those moments of collaboration remind me of the power of shared creativity and how much we can achieve when we work together. 

Q. What’s the most frequently used app on your phone?

Hmmm, apart from Yahoo mailbox and What’s App, I think it’s Ebay as I am always buying something for my daughter.

Q. If you could meet anyone (famous or not) from the past/present, who would it be and why?

If I could meet anyone, it would be Mother Teresa. She is an incredible inspiration for compassion and humanity, embodying selflessness and a deep commitment to serving others. Her dedication to helping the most vulnerable in society is a powerful reminder of what it means to live a life of purpose and love. I would love to hear about her experiences firsthand and learn from her wisdom about finding strength in faith and kindness in even the smallest acts.

Q. With the festive season being upon us, do you have any traditions that you look forward to at this time of year?

I absolutely do. My mum is visiting us from Bulgaria for Christmas, and I am really looking forward to spending some quality time with her. My favourite moment of the festive season is Christmas Eve when the whole family gathers to share a traditional vegan meal. It’s a special tradition where we prepare a specific number of dishes- 7 for the days of the week, 9 for the months of pregnancy or 12 for the months in the year. We also bake a special soda bread with a coin hidden inside. Whoever finds the coin is believed to be blessed with health and prosperity for the coming year. It’s such a meaningful tradition filled with love and gratitude, and I cherish these moments of togetherness. 

Q. What would you say to anyone who might be thinking about volunteering?

This experience has been both inspiring and transformative, showing me, how you can contribute to something bigger, while growing personally and professionally. It’s a sharing of knowledge, skills and perspectives that creates a feeling of unity and mutual support. I’ve also seen how effective communication can inspire action and make a real impact.

If you’re interested in volunteering with Million Minutes, get in touch by completing the ‘Contact Us’ form on our website and be part of something meaningful! Let’s build a community that strives to put the voices of young people at the heart of positive change. 

Press Release: Million Minutes launches Adventurous Accompaniment

 
 

Million Minutes are excited to announce the launch of Adventurous Accompaniment, an opportunity to explore the art of accompaniment through research-based, high-quality resources and bespoke facilitation. Work with us to explore how this may deepen understanding of Catholic communities and enhance pastoral areas of work. 

We need only to accompany and encourage them, trusting a little more in the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis, Christus Vivit (2019)

In 2019, Pope Francis released the post-synodal exhortation Christus Vivit, where he emphasised the call for the Church to walk at people’s side - “a church which accompanies” (World Youth Day, 2013). Then, following personal experiences of the need for accompaniment during lockdown, Million Minutes and friends (Aseel Gilbert, Amy Cameron, David Wells, Danny Curtin, Phil Callaghan and Abbot Christopher Jamison OSB), together with the generous support of Jesuits in Britain and The English Benedictine Congregation, came together and commissioned research to better understand how accompaniment was practiced within Catholic spaces. 

This research highlighted a need for a renewed vision of accompaniment, one which allowed each person (the accompanier and the accompanied) to be led by the Holy Spirit on an “adventure” – walking along, side by side. 

Over the last few years, we have worked with parishes, dioceses and organisations to pilot and develop a set of resources and facilitated workshops to understand and explore the uses of Adventurous Accompaniment. 

Synodality seems to sit really well with Adventurous Accompaniment...[it] also involves a change in mindset...to one which involves us all being open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. 

Adventurous Accompaniment, Pilot Feedback

We are excited to work with Catholic communities across the country, to explore how Adventurous Accompaniment can lead to community-building, participation and mission in your diocese, school, parish or organisation. If you want to find out more, please visit www.accompanier.co.uk. 

The synodal process has renewed the awareness that listening is an essential component of every aspect of the Church’s life: administering sacraments, in particular that of Reconciliation, catechesis, formation and pastoral accompaniment.

XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Final Document (2024) 

Young Caritas Europa Forum 2024

Million Minutes and CSAN staff recently participated in the Young Caritas Europa Forum, hosted by Caritas Europa in Athens.  This was a weekend gathering of young adults from organisations across the Caritas Europa network to share experiences, learn more about the work of Caritas in Europe, and to discuss how to encourage young people to be involved in volunteering throughout the Caritas Network.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Rathbone, Caritas Youth

Bernie Goddard reflects: “We spent a morning learning about the work which Caritas Hellas does throughout Greece, and in particular the work that the Adama Project does with refugees and migrants. This includes supporting people through the asylum process, especially in looking for work. We then had an opportunity to learn about ways that young adults are working with refugees and migrants in countries such as Italy, Slovenia and Lithuania.  

Many of these volunteers are involved in creating activities for children and families and delivering educational resources in schools, informing young people about the journeys refugees take and the difficulties they often face. 

Our second day started by looking at what motivates us and how we can build charity in our communities. This involved a group activity that addressed how we can engage young people and young adults to actively participate within our organisations. This was a great opportunity to share ideas and look at how Caritas organisations work in each country and enabled us to reflect on our own methods of youth and young adult outreach in England and Wales.    

We ended the afternoon with a scavenger hunt using scenarios which people often face when they are fleeing their countries, where my group looked at fleeing from climate-related impacts on livelihoods. 

The weekend was a fantastic opportunity to learn, network and share the work which we all do within the Caritas social justice networks. 

We wish to thank CSAN, Caritas Europa and all its affiliated organisations, for their hospitality and for providing us with an inspiring and thought-provoking weekend. 

Accompaniment in Catechesis and Children's Liturgy

Anita delivered a day of reflection entitled Accompaniment within Catechesis and Children's Liturgy, for catechists and children's liturgists across the South Buckinghamshire Pastoral Area. The group reflected on sections of Pope Francis' letter on the Institution of the Ministry of Catechist and how accompaniment is cultivated through the wide range of formation and sacramental preparation activities being delivered throughout the pastoral area. The group were invited to recall and share their motivations behind wanting to be a catechist, and consider 'who' is being accompanied within and beyond moments of formation and sacramental preparation.

By reflecting together on both highlights and challenges of formation and sacramental preparation, the group were offered words of encouragement taken from Pope Francis to catechists: to live lives centred in Christ, the source of love, and with that be 'happy and full of joy always and despite everything' (Pope Francis, To Participants in the Third International Congress of Catechists, September 2022).

To find and focus on joy within any catechetical programme, whatever the attendance, number of volunteers or retention rate may be, is a key part of this important ministry.

We look forward to hearing more about their journey and the joy they find in accompanying young people in their parishes and we wish them every success along the way.

Schools Workshop Facilitation - Holy Cross, Kingston & De La Salle, Saint Helens

At the end of June, Bernie went to Holy Cross Girls Schools and De La Salle School to take part in their respective Faith in Action and Culture days.

After delivering the keynote speech at Holy Cross on the importance of using our voices as a tool for change and putting our faith into action, the students joined Bernie for workshop sessions where they could look deeper into what this means to them. In these workshops, the students looked at how they, as young people, can make a difference by putting their faith into action on issues they care about. In particular, they looked at how they could use their social media platforms to promote inclusivity as well as advocate on issues that they deal with day-to-day.

At the De La Salle school, Bernie looked Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti. As part of this workshop, they looked at what culture means to everyone, including our misconceptions of other cultures, and how we can express and celebrate all culture. Whilst there, they discussed the importance of understanding other cultures and the issues faced by young people - both nationally, and as members of Catholic communities. The day ended with a marketplace of stalls, various activities and music - with dancing and food from around the world.

Both days were fantastic, and they provided an excellent opportunity for us to engage with young people, working with them to talk about the issues they hold close as well as celebrating other cultures.

Towards Hope: Strategy 2023-28

On this feast of St John Bosco, patron saint of young people, and the twelfth anniversary of Million Minutes, we are excited to share our new three year strategy entitled ‘Towards Hope: A Journey of Inclusion, Accompaniment and Renewal’. Looking forward to the next three years we have placed the theme of ‘accompaniment’ at the heart of our work and our mission is to equip the church to more effectively accompany all young people.

To engage in an authentic process of accompaniment we have to walk alongside young people and start listening out for the voices and needs that are highlighted. By working in this way with young people and their communities, we hope to respond to and empower young people and deliver projects that are both youth-centred and transform communities.

‘I am delighted to share some of our hopes and plans for the next three years on such a special feast day. I take inspiration from the life of St John Bosco who gives us a great example of reaching out to young people, meeting them in their environments and communities with a gentle presence and loving kindness. He was renowned for literally walking alongside young people in whatever situations they faced and for advocating for change on behalf of their needs in the height of the industrial revolution, in 19th century Italy. He was considered progressive, innovative, an ‘interrupter’, even counter-cultural; he challenged the status quo by putting the needs of young people at the heart of societal change.

Young people today live in a very different physical world to 19th century Italy. They are living in the midst of a digital and technological revolution in an vastly different geopolitical space. Though their needs may differ but we may take inspiration and hope from St John Bosco who reminds us to ‘read the signs of our times’ and meet the needs of young people where they are at. We know that this process of accompaniment works and can unlock meaningful encounters and the potential for working together for change. We a thrilled to invite others to work together with us to truly understand and serve the needs of young people in our communities.’ - Anita Motha, CEO Million Minutes.

To read more about our plans and dreams for 2023-25 download the strategy paper and contact us to find out how you can support our work.

Celebrating Young People Awards 2022

25 young people across England and Wales were awarded recognition at Million Minutes’ Celebrating Young People Awards 2022

Set against the backdrop of the London skyline, 115 young people, parents, teachers, youth workers and gathered to celebrate young people from across the country and recognise their contributions to their communities. Hosted by Siobhan McDonagh MP at the Terrace Pavilion, House of Commons, it was a truly memorable evening hearing the stories of how young people are actively making a difference and driving change in the world they see around them.

The awards – now in their fifth year – were powered by Million Minutes. Hundreds of young people were nominated in six categories, each celebrating a different aspect of Catholic social teaching lived out in action. As well as two awards for adults, one for volunteer youth leaders and one for clergy or religious.

Anita Motha, Chief Executive at Million Minutes, said:

We had the privilege to recognise and share the stories of young people from our schools and parishes. Their initiative and drive for creating change in their communities, whether through volunteering, fundraising, or advocacy work, is inspirational. Our future relies on young changemakers and it fills us with hope and joy to celebrate their achievements and accompany them in their journeys.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols presented the Pope Francis award to St Peter’s Mini Vinnies, a brother and sister duo, Rebeca and Daniel, who have shown such generosity to their local community. During lockdown 2020 they gathered items for their local foodbank, and even grew their own vegetables to ensure families had enough fresh vegetables as well as tinned food. They drew cards, posters and wrote kind letters to the elderly who were suffering from loneliness. They are remarkable young people who share everything they can, their time, and resources for the benefit of the vulnerable in their community, and have even donated their birthday wish lists for the good of others.

Cardinal Nichols congratulated the duo on their generosity of spirit and the important examples that can be set by the youngest in our societies. He added he was ‘particularly impressed by the selflessness’ shown in these two young people.

To name a few examples of the awards presented, Christine Allen presented the Barbara Ward Award (Caring for the Environment) to Tom and Harvey. In a statement posted on twitter after receiving the award, Tom said:

“Harvey and I are just two if the thousands of young people across the world dedicating their time to tackling the environmental issues we are facing in today’s current climate. We are so lucky to have been given a platform to raise awareness, spread our true beliefs and most importantly to us, encourage other young people just like us to try their best to make a difference for future generations. We strongly believe we still have a chance to save our planet if we all work together, so all we are asking from you is to stop, think, smile and face this climate crisis with all you have”

The new award for 2022 was the Rutilio Grande and Companions Award, sponsored by the Jesuits in Britain was launched. Aleem Maqbool, Religion Editor for the BBC presented the award to two recipients, Fr Paul Wilkinson and Sr Margaret Walsh. Sr Silvana Dallanegra was Highly Commended.

There are countless stories that can be shared from the evening. Andrew received the Dorothy Day Award, he is a gifted photographer using his talents for the good of the community of Brighton and Hove.

Maria was Highly Commended for the St Josephine Bakhita Award, and was nominated for raising awareness of Downs syndrome and promoting the inclusion of people with Downs syndrome in the Catholic Church and wider society

Sport and Cultural Society and St Vincent de Paul from South West London received Highly Commended for the Cardinal Hume Award. They reached out to their local community and beyond, running a food bank and supporting people who suffered due to isolation; during the pandemic, they supported on average 112 families per week.

This has been one of the highlights of our year so far and only the beginning of journey working with our inspirational network of award nominees. Keep in touch with Million Minutes to follow the stories of the Celebrating Young People Awards alumni.

Farewell Daisy - and welcome Anita!

Farewell to Daisy

This week, we say farewell to Daisy, as she journeys on to another CEO role in the youth sector.

Daisy writes, "The scale of what we've been able to achieve during the pandemic, from getting our Beacon Parish Scheme off the ground, to re-launching our Celebrating Young People Awards, whilst promoting an inclusive and open Church that welcomes all young people, is testament of the tenacity and courage of young people across Catholic communities, fighting for a Church with truly 'open doors' in the words of Pope Francis. I have been lucky enough to meet some incredible people in post, and will cherish most fondly our work on LGBTQ+ inclusion as well as the tole of young women in the Church, as well as collaborations with other organisations. I wish Anita and the team all the very best, and I wish the Church continued deepening in understanding of unconditional acceptance and love that makes us all richer."

We are grateful for Daisy's leadership, inspiration, and dedication during her time at Million Minutes. We wish her well in her new role.

             

Welcome to Anita

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our next CEO. Anita Motha.

Anita will join the team as CEO in May 2022, bringing over fourteen years of experience working and volunteering within Catholic youth ministry and international development. She holds a BA in Music from Newcastle, and a Masters in Education and International Development from Institute of Education, University College London.

She has worked for CAFOD developing and delivering their young adult engagement strategy. Prior to this, she managed Bosco Volunteer Action, the international volunteering programme for the Salesians of Don Bosco for six years. She also has experience volunteering for Christian Aid and worked as a school chaplain in the north east of England. Most recently, Anita has served as Vice-Chair on the Board of Trustees for Million Minutes.

Having grown up across London, Hong Kong, and Dubai, Anita now lives in the Diocese of Brentwood with her husband and two young children.

Million Minutes Chair, Ewan Day-Collins, said, "I am excited to welcome Anita as our new CEO. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, and will us into our next stage of development. I and the Board are grateful for Daisy's leadership during her time as CEO. She leaves a strong legacy from which Anita can build"

Columban Missionaries announce young 'Changemaker' winners

The winners of the Columban Missionaries’ ‘Changemaker’ media competition have been announced. Young people aged 13 to 18 years old from around the UK were invited to submit articles and images exploring the subject: ‘Anyone can make a difference: 21st Century Changemakers’. Inspired by Catholic Social Teaching, young people were encouraged to reflect on who in the world today is doing something about inequality, injustice, exclusion and environmental degradation, and what can they teach us about our own situations.

The Columbans received hundreds of submissions which were judged by a panel including Ruth Gledhill (Multi-Media Editor at The Tablet), Josephine Siedlecka (Founder and Editor of Independent Catholic News), Daisy Srblin, (CEO of Million Minutes) and James Trewby (Columban Education Worker).

Reflecting on her reading of the images and articles from the competition, Daisy said: ‘It’s clear that young people have a real appreciation for the world’s changemakers, and it is wonderful to see their thoughtfulness and reflection around themes including racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ+ justice and climate justice, all inspired by the values of Catholic Social Teaching’.

Elijah Gilbert of Richard Challoner School, New Malden won first prize in the images section for his collage of people of inspiration. Second place went to Katherine Fawole of St Paul’s Academy in London for her Gouache painting of Greta Thunberg. Oliver Lafite of Richard Challoner School and Paulette De Jose of Holy Cross School in New Malden came joint third, for their depictions of Marcus Rashford and Amanda Gorman (racial justice activist) / Molly Burhans (environmental activist) / Jamie Margolin (LGBTQ+ rights activist)/ Jaclyn Friedman (feminist campaigner) respectively.

Have a look at the winning images here and below:

Article winners (clockwise R-L) Jessica Saxon, Mahi Sikan, Ella Bothwell and Scarlett Peart-Lapidge

In Britain, Jessica Saxon of St George’s College in Weybridge wrote the winning article about US politician and human rights campaigner Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while Mahi Sikan of Thomas More School in Bedford, wrote about an Afghani woman on a mission to improve the healthcare of her community in very difficult circumstances, and came a close second. Ella Bothwell of St Richard Gwyn in Flint (who wrote a great piece about David Attenborough) and Scarlett Peart-Lapidge of Bishop Thomas Grant in London (who wrote about the Mizen family and their tireless campaigning for peace) were joint third.

Have a read of the winning articles here.

You can find out more about the Columban Missionaries School media competition, and all runners up, here.

All images and information courtesy of the Columban Missionaries’ Changemaker media competition

Million Minutes & Columban Missionaries publish youth synod findings

This month Million Minutes and the Columban Missionaries have published a report reflecting the views of young people, in response to the questions of the Global Synod.

The Synod 2021-23 journey proposes a wonderful opportunity to recognise individuals within our Church community. Million Minutes is dedicated to advocating for the voice of young people across England and Wales. The Columbans are committed to dialogue, justice, and peace. The synodal process is a good opportunity for us to listen to and amplify the voices of young adults. In particular, we are keen to capture the voices of young people who might not have had the opportunity or felt able, to feed into the synod process via other means, because, for example, of feeling ‘in between’ dioceses or having some level of discomfort with participating in local conversations.

This report is a collation of responses from the small group that was gathered together on Zoom on Monday 17th January 2022. This group represents a diverse range of young Catholics from different backgrounds and cultures, aged 17 to 25 years old, and from six dioceses (East Anglia, Westminster, Birmingham, Southwark, Leeds, and Portsmouth). The group was convened by both Million Minutes and the Columban Missionaries, and breakout groups were facilitated by James Trewby, Beth Warren, and Daisy Srblin.

You can download the report here, or using the link below.

Download our Synod report here

Download report

2021: A Year in Review

As we reach the end of 2021, here is our review of the year, including a message from Daisy (CEO) and Danny (Founder), a summary of our key achievements over the past 12 months, and a look forward to plans for 2022.

A Message from Daisy (CEO) and Danny (Founder)

Dear Friends,

What a 12 months it has been! Despite the news of growing Omicron cases, it feels important to remember how far we have come since December 2020. Just 12 months ago we were yet to receive vaccinations, and we were facing a Christmas where we knew for sure we wouldn't be able to see our loved ones. And young people were in the thick of a very difficult time: virtual studies leading to an exposure of both digital and food poverty. This Christmas, while still uncertain, feels a great deal more hopeful than this time last year.

Young people face a difficult future, now more than ever. They remain the age group most likely to be adversely affected by job cuts as a result of the pandemic, and psychological difficulty as a result of the tremendous upheaval they have faced. The economic outlook for young people remains uncertain.

For Million Minutes' part, we are so very grateful to every person who has supported our work. Whether through a donation, or by volunteering your time in our Beacon Parish Scheme; whether by nominating young people for an award in recognition of social action in your community, or engaging in our trainings and webinars; whether you joined us in our 10 year anniversary celebrations; or engaged with SiLENT 2021, raising money for our social action grants; whether encouraging young people to apply for one of our social action grants, volunteering your time as part of our nation-wide accompaniment research or sharing news of our work on social media; you have all, in one way or another, supported the cause of getting young people noticed and appreciated, both in our Church and in society.

We know now more than ever that our work is needed. As schools seek to make sense of the difficult world young people are facing, sharing the universal principles of Catholic Social Teaching and recognition of young people's efforts has never felt more relevant. At a time when parishes wonder who will return in a 'Covid-normal' world, and how best to serve a society facing significant upheaval, youth-centered parish renewal efforts which actively place young people at the heart of communities is crucial. And, as our Church enters into synodal conversations, our questions asking who feels welcome in Catholic communities and who does not feels more important than ever, as we seek a future for the Church that is hopeful, optimistic and full of all of the diverse gifts our community has. We are very proud of the work Million Minutes has achieved in the last 12 months, which is summarised below.

We conclude with the words of the Holy Father in his encyclical Christus Vivit:

Dear young people, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running ... May the Holy Spirit urge you on as you run this race. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them! And when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us.

May our young people keep supporting us with all their momentum, intuitions and faith, and may we continue to trust all the wonderful gifts they bring.

We hope you enjoy our short summary of our work - and if you like what you see, and feel able to do so, perhaps you might consider a small donation to keep our work on track.

With every blessing for a peaceful Christmas and a hopeful New Year,

Daisy Srblin, CEO, & Danny Curtin, Founder

Million Minutes’ Key Achievements in 2021

Celebrating Ten Years!

We kicked off the year celebrating our ten year anniversary on the Feast of St John Bosco. To celebrate our launch ten years ago, our founders gathered online to host a lockdown-special celebration.

Launch of the 'Beacon Parish Scheme'

We have designed, recruited for, and have started delivering a model of what we believe will be the 'gold standard' of Catholic youth ministry in parish settings in England and Wales - a programme that puts the people of the parish and the community of youth at the forefront of its growth, and keeps in mind the community outside the restrictions of parish walls.

Six parishes have signed up in 2021 across Liverpool, East Anglia, Clifton, Leeds and Shrewsbury Dioceses, and at least two more have signed up for 2022!

The Difference Grant-Giving Makes

During SiLENT 2021, our supporters, including schools and retreat centres raised almost £5000 to go directly back into the youth social action grant-giving arm of our work, funding genuine youth-led projects. Those sponsored silence fundraisers also helped create space for us all to reflect on silenced young people around the country.

Supporting Young People to Grow as Local Catholic Leaders

We have a group of 13 young adult 'alumni' (previous CYPA winners) who met eight times over 2020 and 2021, to discuss contemporary issues of importance such as racial inequality and child food poverty.

Since December 2020, we have issued eight youth-led grants, and and 10 'Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati' Local Awards, recognising the incredible work of young people during the pandemic. We look forward to re-establishing the Celebrating Young People Award sin Spring / Summer 2022.

Exploring the Perceived 'Peripheries' of the Church

We have made a mark on some important perceived 'peripheries' for the Church, including pastoral accompaniment to LGBT+ young adults in Catholic settings.
In December 2021, we organised a webinar exploring the experiences of young women in the Catholic Church, and the way in which the Church can better minister to them and the challenges in their lives. Dr Sr Gemma Simmonds CJ led a keynote on the topic, with further discussion from four more guest speakers, including young women themselves.

Sharing our Vision

We continue to promote and expand awareness of the Christus Vivit mission across England and Wales, and at all levels of Catholic hierarchies, and even beyond Catholic communities. We have developed concrete means of Catholic communities developing youth ministry, including through self-directing resources, multimedia outputs, and training.

This has included:

  • Over 70 attendees from over 30 parishes across England and Wales attending our 'Beacon Parish' open day in January 2021

  • Over 70 participants signing up to our Spring 2021 training

  • 40 participants signing up for our Autumn conversations

  • Over 150 members joining the Million Minutes / Catholic Youth Ministry Federation Facebook group for Catholic Youth Ministers in England and Wales

A number of invitations to Catechists Days, Diocesan presentations, Caritas meetings, Justice & Peace fora, and other external events (if you'd like Million Minutes to visit your community, drop us a line!)

Speaking Up for Youth Ministry & Young People

We have been working to strengthen Million Minutes so that our work may continue for years to come. To this end, Million Minutes has joined both the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation in England and Wales (CYMFed) and the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), which has helped to widen the remit of our work at a national scale.

In Summer 2021, we welcomed Beth Warren as our new Senior Parish Engagement Officer, and over the course of 2021 we have welcomed four Trustees on to our Board.

Our social media profile continues to grow. Over 2021, we have had over 200 new Twitter followers, 100+ new Facebook likes, 150+ Instagram followers, and 200+ LinkedIn followers. Our website has received almost 10,000 unique visitors this year alone, and over 26,000 page views.

Proximity: A Research Project on Accompaniment

Accompaniment is the central pastoral strategy offered by Pope Francis. It has also been at the heart of Million Minutes' approach for the last decade. So we were delighted to launch Proximity, a process of learning and development into the art of accompaniment. This project enjoys support from the Benedictines, the Jesuits, and dioceses and organisations.

2022 and Beyond!

Applications Open for a New Team Member!

We are very excited to be welcoming applications for a new post Project Worker (Catholic Social Teaching) - more info here. Deadline is the first week of January, and the role may suit young adults who are at the start of their professional journeys!

This new team member will be able to work directly with schools, partly to promote our Awards, but also to promote awareness of and engagement with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. We are very much looking forward to being able to accompany schools more closely next year.

Continuing to Grow our Work

Our Beacon Parish Scheme will enter another year, with an additional five parishes (at least) will be selected to join the programme, free of charge.

We hope to continue our suite of external events, exploring racial justice and the important role that people of colour play in the Catholic Church.

We hope to raise a significant amount in SiLENT 2022, to further develop our grant-giving arm. We will also finally be hosting an in person Celebrating Young People Awards for the first time in three years.

Our work promoting the vision of an open youth ministry at every level throughout the Church will continue apace: including through our submission to the synodal process, which will be compiled by gathering a group of young people with whom we work, and exploring the key synod questions with them in January 2022. If you'd like to join this young adults synod group, do email us on info@millionminutes.org

Donate to our Work, if you're able

This is just a flavour of the work we've done this year - get in touch with us on info@millionminutes.org if you'd like some more detail.
And if you're able and willing, perhaps you might consider donating to our work to allow us to continue reaching communities that need it in 2022

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year,
from all the team at Million Minutes