UCC Chaplaincy and Ardens Missionaries with Bishop Fintan
For the past three years, FOCUS missionaries have successfully worked alongside UCC Chaplaincy to encourage third level students to begin an encounter with Christ and to accompany them in their journey of faith while at university.
While FOCUS have decided to end their European mission, a new entity 'Ardens' have taken on the task to continue, in a new way, the mission to third level colleges in Europe and have begun their missionary activity in UCC for the new academic year.
In preparation for this, the UCC chaplaincy team and the new Ardens team spent some days in planning, orientation and prayer at Mardyke House. The days were facilitated by Br Martin Kenneally.
Both teams were joined by Bishop Fintan on the final day of planning and he encouraged both teams in his homily at Mass. He reminded them that the mission and ministry is something entrusted to us. We are stewards. We are not owners of the mission, and ultimately it is not about us - and he continued that mission is simply to meet them where they are, to listen well, to accompany them, and to help create opportunities in which they can encounter Christ for themselves.
"Your task is to accompany them, to listen to them, to create spaces where they can belong and, when the opportunity arises, to help them encounter Jesus Christ."
We pray for a fruitful year of mission and ministry to the student population at University College Cork this academic year.
