Coventry International Youth Gathering

The Community of the Cross of Nails (CCN) Youth Gathering in late July/early August brought together an incredibly diverse group — 20+ languages spoken from pilgrims from South Africa, Germany, Austria, Poland, Mauritius, India, England, Scotland, and myself from the USA.

Throughout the week we learned that we are all called to be reconcilers in Christ and we all respond to this call of reconciliation in different ways; as we each hear it differently based on our life experience and personal contexts, we all respond differently. In a world of war and at a time when it can easily feel there is no hope, this opportunity to learn from others around the world showed me there is hope — hope that we can all be ambassadors for reconciliation and share what we learned with people in our own contexts.

We were on a pilgrimage together and asked tough questions such as: Can we forgive when there is no repentance? Who has the power — the perpetrator or the victim? Is it possible to have peace without repentance? I was moved by everyone’s willingness to share, their respect for each other’s experiences and emotions, their desire to actively listen, and for the many moments of joy and laughter we shared despite these difficult conversations.

We were shown how reconciliation is like a dance around a table, though our perspectives and contexts change, we are all still united by what stands in the center. As Pope Francis once said, “Unity is when we all agree to walk the way together”, and even when it is hard, that we stand together.

There was no better place to be than the Coventry ruins and new Cathedral. Every day at 12pm noon, we would gather in the new cathedral. One of my favorite moments was standing in the ruins to pray the Litany of Reconciliation one last time together with my new friends from around the world. An incredible way to gather and remind ourselves why we are here — to respond to the call of reconciliation.

I believe I can speak for the group in saying we learned more than we ever thought possible in our short six days together. I am very thankful to my new friends around the world, to Coventry Cathedral and the Reconciliation Team, and to the CCN for teaching me the guiding principles for reconciliation: working to heal the wounds of history, learning to live with difference and embracing diversity, and building a culture of peace.

Tim Wagner, currently an intern in Coventry, put together beautiful video diaries of the most important highlights from this conference. I quickly realized that we did so much in one day it was hard to take it all in. Thanks to Tim, we can look back on the week through this incredible video footage. I encourage you to click on these links to learn more about the CCN, Coventry’s Cathedral and ruins, and this international youth gathering. Enjoy the videos and pictures!

CCN IYG 2018 Day 1 highlights

CCN IYG 2018 Day 2 highlights

CCN IYG 2018 Day 3 highlights

CCN IYG 2018 Day 4 highlights

CCN IYG 2018 Day 5 highlights

CCN IYG 2018 Day 6 highlights

CCN IYG 2018

Thank you for reading! More updates on my departure to Puerto Rico on September 10th coming soon!

Group picture outside of St. Michael’s House, with Coventry’s New Cathedral and Unity Chapel in the background.

During our Cathedral by Candlelight Service, I took this picture of the stunning Sutherland Tapestry (the size of a tennis court), and the seven-meter long concrete altar that proves to be the visual and emotional centre of the church, and within the irregularly designed altar cross, as though safety enfolded in the palm of a hand, is set the original Cross of Nails, made from nails found in the rubble of the old church roof.

The ‘West’ Screen designed by glass engraver John Hutton: the towns of static saints alternate with angels in full flight, their limbs, wings and trumpets breaking the grid and setting up strong horizontal and diagonal rhythms that give the screen a powerful sense of unity and coherence.

One of my favorite moments of the conference when we gathered around to light the Global Candlestand from Kiel.

More information on the Candlestand from Kiel

CNN International Board Younger Generations!

CCN bonding on our last day together – all sitting on one couch: America, Africa, Europe and Asia (Left to Right)

Our visit to a Sikh Gurdwara (Temple) in Coventry – I am so thankful for their hospitality and generousity, sharing their faith, culture, music, food, traditions. This was one of my highlights of the week!

Selfie with some of my new friends from around the world. Feeling incredibly blessed.

The ‘Reconciliation’ Statue in the Coventry ruins – one of my favorite.

The stone altar in the ruins where from the simple act of writing the words ‘Father Forgive’ on the charred walls of the ruins, a ministry spanning eight decades continues to strive to build a ‘kinder, simpler, a more Christ-Child-like sort of world’.

The Litany of Reconciliation: