Jumping Around at the Brightlights Festival

Thanks, but no thanks!

You can see that they are sceptical. The arms are folded and the legs are crossed. No one can do militant disinterest like two hundred and fifty teenagers in a marquee on Friday morning. They are having none of this Jesus carry on. It’s a little surprising an hour later when you see everyone one of them jumping up and down and singing along with Guvna B. Apparently Grime is in at the moment.

But then things get really moving!

This is the wonderful thing about the Brightlights Youth Festival. It succeeds in engaging young people who, on the surface, want to be disengaged. Through music, drama, and inspirational speakers they allow them to celebrate what faith should be about. It’s something real, not imagined, and it is relevant to their lives.

Our AMAZING registration team

Now celebrating its 20^th anniversary there has a long standing relationship with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. We have been delighted to take part in the wonderful liturgies, including powerful moments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. We’ve lead workshops and helped out in the Registration Tent. Level heads are needed when a busload of sisters and young people rock up without a booking! It’s like the unstopable force meeting the immovable body.

A time of reflection at night prayer

This year was the first time we had the festival in Alton Castle in Birmingham. The location is fantastic. The place looks like Catholic Hogwarts. It has a moat and everything! As the Saturday night drew in we moved the concert with Adam and Kidd into the Hall, so as not to wake the neighbours. It was that kind of festival. Next year we’re planning to bring groups from our parishes and schools. Before you know it they’ll be jumping up and down too!

Thanks to James McLoughlin for the photos!