Introducing Catherine and Kealagh...

Hey! First post jitters out of the way with. If you look to your left you’ll see the basic facts. We are two Kiwis about to tackle the most exciting trip imaginable: one month, two teens, Paris to Madrid!! But first, how it all began…

Catherine and I met at St. Mary’s Primary School, both inhabitants of the small town Foxton, New Zealand. As the years passed we both attended St. Peter’s College, catching the bus to the city 40min up the road.  Catherine has since finished college, while I am in my final year franticly studying for the end of year exams. We both plan our lives to involve travel to interesting and inspiring destinations. To fund this adventurous life style Catherine plans to work in anthropology where as I plan a career in research psychology.  Together, we make a great team with Catherine ruling over the cooking and outreach, while I take on the organisational and cleaning side of things, both sharing a dash of crazy creativity.

Last year we were approached to be members of a fledgling Youth Group and as this grew we took on the role of Youth Group Leaders.  At the beginning of 2010 our Parish Coordinator, Judith, recommended to us the Internship Program as a way of giving back to the community as well as providing us the opportunity to develop our leadership skills.

We both applied and were accepted into the Internship Program run by the Palmerston North Diocese.  This program means that Catherine and I work to complete 400 hours, over two years, of voluntary service as Youth Leaders of our Foxton and Shannon Catholic Parish.

Sounds tedious, and while it is a lot of work we have an awesome time organising and running Youth Group, as well as events for the parish such as the 1920’s Night and Mid-winter Picnic, and working in conjunction with St. Mary’s Primary School in creating Mass for Young People. Both Catherine and I love the buzz that comes with helping out and making a difference in our local community, which is why we do what we do.  However, the fact that the Internship Program gives us the fantastic opportunity of attending World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid is pretty awesome too!!!

World Youth Day started in 1987 by Pope John Paul the Second as a way of bringing together young Catholics from all around the world to celebrate their faith and learn more about it, enabling them to go out into the world to be witnesses to the Gospel.  The 26^th World Youth Day takes place in the home of the salsa (the dance, not the food) and flamenco dancers; Spain!!

As part of the Internship Program Catherine and I travel with youth from the Palmerston North and Wellington Dioceses on a tour from Paris to Madrid,  stopping in places such as Taize and San Sebastian, taking in the churches, shops and culture of these two amazing countries!!

Until then we’re dreaming of Spanish architecture, French shoes and all the new friends to come!

Catherine and Kealagh out