LAURA'S STORY:
"The Forum affirmed
our faith journeys"
I first attended the CSF in Autumn 2004 – it was a great opportunity to meet other young Catholics from different universities in England and Wales and to compare notes on shared experiences! It seemed like a beneficial way of creating new relationships between universities and coming from a “red brick” university with an active Catholic Society and chaplaincy, I was keen to see what we could do to encourage other university Catholic communities.
My highly positive previous experiences of making links with other CathSocs - indeed, I now have a firm friend who was initially invited to our summer party from another CathSoc more than 5 years ago - meant that I was enthusiastic about the CSF.
|
|
|
GINNY'S STORY:
"From small roots to a real community"
My experience of Catholic Student Forum (CSF) has been one of real joy and challenge. As a chaplain involved in the process of organizing and facilitating forum weekends, as well as the times in-between, CSF has been a project that has grown from small roots to a real community. I have been so impressed in watching the relationships between different students grow over the past years and the excitement at reaching other catholic students.
The forum has bought together students from such different backgrounds as well as different styles of universities and indeed different styles of Chaplaincy. One of the real benefits of this has been the chance to foster a community which is larger than the local area.The sense of belonging to a larger church and one Christian family has been a real focus over the past few years and the group has lived this out through invites to each others universities as well as continuing contact through internet forums.
My hope is that all who pass through the forum may feel as privileged to be apart of something that is always changing and growing as well as knowing that they too are contributing to this larger community.
Ginny, University of Derby |
Given the relatively small numbers of practising Catholics in the 18-30 age group, meeting other like-minded young people helps to affirm us all in our faith journeys.
The Forum also gave us access to the organised Church at a national level, making it seem more relevant and accessible to the young lay person.
My decision to apply for the Catholic Parliamentary Internship was the direct result of a CSF weekend, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The Church of the future will only survive if we take chances and grasp new challenges – the CSF is one such opportunity.
Laura, London
|
|
ANTHONY'S STORY:
"I'm still in touch with CSF friends now"
I first heard about the CSF weekend in my first year from a friend in CathSoc. All I was told before going to the 2005 meeting was that it was for Catholic students, it was in London and I would have fun - I went and I did; and two years on I still am!! For me, the best bit about the weekends was not to do with the talks and discussions (which were great) but more about the environment. From arriving on the Friday night in a strange place with strangers to leaving on the Sunday having spent the weekend with people who |
became close friends – I am still in touch with people from both London meetings and the Manchester regional meeting. Given that Catholic students can often feel quite alone at university where so much is going on, CathSocs and Chaplaincy groups offer a much needed place to get together with other like-minded people and have a good time, the CSF allows this to be extended onto a regional and national level and help CathSoc (especially in isolated areas of the country) make contacts and meet up. Anthony, University of Wales, Bangor |
 |
|
