Sunday 26 May 2013

Spirit in the City: 12-15 June 2013

In one of its earlier years, I took part in this (now annual) festival in the West End of London. If I recall correctly, this involved me in an afternoon of street evangelisation and particpating in the Eucharistic procession.

In more recent years, the coincidence of the festival with the school half term has meant that I have been out of the country at the time. This year, I am again out of the country (well, in Wales at least, and for work not holiday) for the Wednesday to Friday. I am hoping to be able to take part in the Saturday afternoon and closing Mass at Leicester Square.

According to the print flyer:
Catholic parishes, various Catholic communities and other Christian movements come together to pray, celebrate and evangelise in a variety of ways.

Spirit in the City celebrates the GOOD NEWS of Christianity and welcomes people of all faiths, ages and walks of life. It gives an opportunity to raise deeper questions about life and to search for new ways to connect with God and others around us.
Each year this festival prompts me to reflect on the catholic nature of the Catholic faith. At a first level, there is the participation of Catholics from different cultural and national backgrounds. And then, within this range of backgrounds, there are present the permanent elements of Catholic life - Marian character, Eucharistic character, Sacrament of Penance. It is of the catholicity of the Catholic faith that it should speak to each and every culture and time, and not be restricted to any one culture and time to the exclusion of others. With its different ministries, Spirit in the City does exactly this. It offers a lived experience of a "hermeneutic of continuity" - the permanent elements of the Catholic faith presented in a new and lively way.

This year Spirit in the City will take a particular message from the witness of Pope Francis, whose impulse towards evangelisation rather than introspection on the part of the Church, is clearly reflected in an event such as Spirit in the City.

If you are able to take part in one or more of the events of the four days, I highly recommend them to you. The website with details of the four days (full programme can be found from one of the tabs at the top of the home page, and there is also a poster/flyer for download) is here: Spirit in the City.

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