Hundreds attend Goan Chaplaincy’s youth convention in Swindon

Over 500 young people from across the country including large groups from Southall, Wembley, Hounslow, Reading and Bridgewater joined the youth from Swindon to participate in the 6th annual youth convention organised by the Goan Chaplaincy in Swindon at St Peter’s Catholic Church on July 22.

It was a day of prayer, reflection, music and thought-provoking talks which resonated with the young people in attendance.

The theme for this year’s convention was “Arise”, aligning with the theme of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon.

The convention began with a prayer by Fr Lucas Rodrigues SFX, followed by a solemn procession of Mother Mary. The procession of the Blessed Sacrament led by the youth core team followed which culminated in Adoration guided by Fr Joseph Edattu VC.

During his talk, Fr Joseph shared testimonies of individuals whose lives had been dramatically changed through the invocation of Jesus’ name, while also highlighting the perils of seeking fulfilment through worldly pleasures.

This was followed by an interview with Mark Silva, a youth coordinator from Southall. In the interview, Mark shared about his work in his parish, the challenges and joys he experiences while remaining steadfast in his devotion to God, demonstrating an unwavering commitment needed to keep one’s faith alive.

After the lunch break, the convention resumed with the Goan Chaplaincy’s own gospel band ‘Desert Rain’ uplifting the energy with powerful praise and worship.

This was followed by the segment, ‘Straight from the Heart’, featuring a panel discussion with six members from the Swindon Youth core team at different stages in life. Answering to various questions posed by the animator and the Goan Chaplain Fr Lucas Rodrigues, they replied candidly as to how they harmonise their daily lives with their faith, offering valuable insights from their individual perspectives.

The second keynote speaker of the day was Adenikeì Adewale, who began by leading everyone into worship as she conducted the crowd into a sublime choir. She shared her profound faith journey, recounting the moment she found God and felt God’s touch in her life.

This experience over time changed her life dramatically leading her from being a timid singer to being a semifinalist on The Voice 2021, a powerful testimony of the power of God for all the young people in attendance.

Later, the Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr Thomas Lawes and in his homily drew parallels between Mary Magdalene's encounter with the resurrected Jesus and the lives of the youth, emphasising the importance of recognising God's presence and influence in their lives.

Fr Jovito D Souza, Parish Priest of Saint Anselm Catholic Church who attended this convention along with 70-plus young people from Southall, said it was “time well spent” at the Youth Convention.

“I can in all sincerity say that it makes me proud that the young people were eager to learn, get involved and make a difference in their lives and their community. An event like this takes so much work to organise and I would like to thank everyone involved for putting this together,” Fr Jovito said.

Elrica Rodrigues from Hounslow said this was her second Youth Convention.

“I feel so blessed and fortunate for getting the opportunity to be present at this convention. The adoration by Fr Joseph touched my heart and I feel even closer to God. Overall, it was a beautiful experience and especially along with the youth of Swindon it was even more joyful.”

Audzin Almeida from Swindon said, “I enjoyed the music and the singing. The speakers were fabulous. They really enriched our understanding and how to recognise if God is calling us.”

Udele Rodrigues was uplifted with the testimony shared by Fr Joseph and said he looked forward to attending many more Youth Conventions and to spread the word of God as a firm Catholic youth.

Joana Dias, a youth leader from Reading, conveyed that the youth from Reading experienced spiritual joy and a faith experience in their participation.