Million Minutes - Celebrating Young People Awards

Cardinal Vincent with the Celebrating Young People award winners. Image ICN/JS

Source: Caritas Westminster, Million Minutes

More than a hundred Catholic campaigners and social activists - veterans and teenagers alike - from across the country gathered on the Terrace of the Houses of Parliament last month for the Celebrating Young People Awards, hosted by Siobhain McDonagh MP.

The awards, now in their fifth year, were run by Million Minutes and were presented by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. Young people were nominated in six categories, each celebrating a different aspect of Catholic Social Teaching lived out in action.

Christine Allen, Diector of CAFOD presented the Barbara Ward Award (Caring for the Environment) to Tom and Harvey. In a statement posted on Twitter after receiving the award, Tom said: "Harvey and I are just two if the thousands of young people across the world dedicating their time to tackling the environmental issues we are facing in today's current climate. We are so lucky to have been given a platform to raise awareness, spread our true beliefs and most importantly to us, encourage other young people just like us to try their best to make a difference for future generations. We strongly believe we still have a chance to save our planet if we all work together, so all we are asking from you is to stop, think, smile and face this climate crisis with all you have."

Among the nominees were six young women from the Sport and Cultural Society and SVP at St Michael & St Martin parish in Hounslow. They were Highly Commended for the Cardinal Hume Award, for reaching out to their local community and beyond, especially during Covid19. They are part of a team which set up a food bank (which is still running) and supported people who suffered due to isolation. During the pandemic they supported, on average, 112 families per week. They were proudly accompanied at the event by Hounslow SVP President and parish Caritas Rep Vincent Fernandes, who has mentored the group over the past two years.

Hounslow featured again on the podium, when Mary Pierre-Harvey won the CYMFED award for inspirational youth leaders, for her work in the parish. This was one of two awards for older people, the other one being the Rutilio Grande and Companions Award for clergy or religious. Sr Silvana was Highly Commended in this category for her work promoting Catholic Social Teaching in schools throughout the Diocese, and for supporting schools in their social outreach, and in setting up their own foodbanks.

Sister Silvana said: "I was pleased and genuinely astonished to be nominated, let alone shortlisted and highly commended! The Constitutions for my order say Conscious that what we do, we do together... And I remain very conscious that I have not done or won any of this alone. Fundamentally and primordially, I'm part of a generously supportive, multi-talented RSCJ community called to make God's love known through the service of education. And I'm also part of an equally multi-talented and supportive team at Caritas, which includes the colleagues who used their skills and experience to produce the amazing Caritas Ambassadors resources I have the joy of promoting in schools. And then there's the colleague who rescued an abandoned stuffed penguin, who became Nigel, the Caritas mascot and my indispensable sidekick in primary schools! And, of course, I couldn't do any of this without the welcome, cooperation and enthusiasm of teachers and chaplains in the schools themselves."

"I'm sure, though, that I wasn't the only person surprised by their nomination. None of us gathered in that room do what we do in order to win awards or medals. And so, in a room filled with love and positivity, we applauded and heard stories of so many incredible, dedicated young people, all motivated not by plaudits or profits, but by compassion, concern and a desire for fairness and justice; each one engaged, in their own way, in building a better world; each one living their Faith, and their love in action. I'm proud to have my name listed alongside theirs."

Cardinal Vincent Nichols presented the Pope Francis award to St Peter's Mini Vinnies, a brother and sister duo, Rebeca and Daniel, who have shown such generosity to their local community. During lockdown 2020 they gathered items for their local foodbank, and even grew their own vegetables to ensure families had enough fresh vegetables as well as tinned food. They drew cards, posters and wrote kind letters to the elderly who were suffering from loneliness.

Read more about the awards on the Million Minutes website: https://millionminutes.org

Are you in Westminster Diocese? Then there is still time for you to nominate a volunteer for a different award!

Nominations are open until 8 September for the Diocese of Westminster 'Love in Action' Volunteering Awards 2022. Click here for details: www.caritasvs.org.uk/volunteering-awards-2022.php