THE POPE FRANCIS AWARD
Overall youth award
Every young person nominated for all the awards will automatically be considered for the Pope Francis Award.
During shortlisting, the panellists in each category will put forward at least one young person to be shortlisted for the Pope Francis Award, from whom the Award will be selected. This award will be presented on the 3rd of July, 2019.
Cardinal Vincent detailed the criteria for the Pope Francis Award recipient during the 2015 award ceremony: “I had the job of choosing the Pope Francis award recipient. This was not easy. So I set for myself three characteristics that I was looking for, which I think come straight from the mind and the writings and the actions of Pope Francis:
• Pope Francis says to us, ‘reality is more important than ideas’- so I was looking for somebody who in an outstanding way grappled with reality and had that as the real motivation of what they were doing;
• Pope Francis often talks about the importance and need for leaders of integrity and courage, so I was looking for someone who was a leader, who’s showing us the way and is doing it consistently, and not just in a haphazard way;
• Maybe most importantly of all, Pope Francis speaks of you and I, of all of us, as Missionary Disciples of Jesus. So I had to find somebody who, in my view, knew what that meant in their daily life. To be a disciple, a companion, to be someone whose heart was close to Jesus and who was fired by His love and His understanding of what He brings, and was because of that reason willing to reach out.”
Check out the youth awards:
Deadline extended to the 15th May 2022 by 8pm
Our 2019 Pope Francis Recipient
Hannah Forrest (aged 24) from Stella Maris, Apostleship of the Sea (Diocese of Plymouth).
Every year dozens of ships arrive at the port of Plymouth. The seafarers onboard will come from the four corners of the earth; the Philippines, Syria, Ukraine on what is perhaps their first visit to Britain. They will be away from family and loved ones for many months, often isolated and fatigued.
Hannah Forrest, a recent psychology graduate from the University of Plymouth, is one of the Stella Maris-Apostleship of the Sea volunteers that are a friend for them. Hannah has always been interested in the Maritime world as her Father is a Naval architect. It only seemed natural then for Hannah to make enquiries about volunteering with Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) in Plymouth. She has now been a regular volunteer ship visitor for over 2 years.
She regularly visits the ships in port and brings with her an enthusiasm and freshness on each visit. Hannah relates easily to the seafarers putting them at their ease and asking about their lives. Hannah has been very quick in understanding what a hard life seafarers live day-to-day.
Seeing their gratitude and the difference it makes, Hannah has raised awareness of seafarers and the work of Stella Maris in her parish, especially to young people. She has recruited other volunteer ship visitors ensuring that many more seafarers receive a welcome in the Port.
Her nominator says: “Hannah is a pleasure to work alongside. She is always cheerful, eager to learn about the work of Stella Maris and great at harnessing the energy of other young people. Her loving concern and the interest that she demonstrates towards the seafarers is wonderful. She has deep faith for someone so young and brings alive the Gospel message - 'I was a stranger and you welcomed me'.”
This year’s awards ceremony will take place in the Houses of Parliament in July!
Nominations for the 2022 Celebrating Young People Awards are now open!
