CPW - a genuine all-age community

If you had asked me, when I was 14, what I had done on holiday, I might have told you:

I had a deep conversation about the book of Genesis with a 50-year-old
I played hide-and-seek with a five-year-old
I shared my Walkman with an 11-year-old
I solved mathematical puzzles with a 75-year-old
I did the washing up with a 60-year-old
I had an actual conversation with a priest!
I played cricket, sang songs, shared meals, with a bunch of people of all ages.
And I hardly saw my own parents at all!

Actually, I probably wouldn’t have said any of that, because it wouldn’t have been any good for my street-cred. But here I am 30-plus years later, and I still go to Catholic People’s Weeks, now bringing my own children, because where else do you get this experience of real community where all ages are equally valued?

I have an ongoing question I’ve not been able to answer about our world today: Are children valued too much or too little?

Children have a lot more provided for them than they did a generation or two ago, and parents can spend a lot of time and money giving them a whole variety of experiences. They seem to be the centre of parents’ conversations both in person and online. It seems we’ve never devoted so much care and attention on them.

On the other hand I often see and hear comments about children ruining their parents’ social lives and not bringing us the happiness we expected. We also see children themselves struggling with anxiety and mental health problems, under pressure at school and from the unending peer pressure on social media. Somehow we don’t seem to be giving children happy childhoods or enjoying parenthood much.

At CPW it seems to me that the balance is just right. Adults get their “me time” - and can engage in deep conversations without interruption for well over three hours each day. Meanwhile the children are having the best time with the helpers, not their teachers or parents, but young adults who bring a lot of energy and provide role models for our teenagers. For some helpers it’s the only time in their lives they get to spend with young children.

When everyone is together at Mass, meals, and for the evening entertainment, everyone is equal. There isn’t a sense of “we’re doing this for the children.” Something that accommodates children ends up being just as meaningful or enjoyable for the adults. And with fewer than a hundred people at each event, you can really get to know everyone - being aware of where your children are and who they are with, without hovering. It’s also a relatively screen-free environment, with a focus on being out-doors. (I’d love CPW to become completely device free for all attendees but this might not be practicable.) Children are absolutely treasured at CPW - but no more or less than adults are. People are accepted for who they are, not because they are a particular age, and everyone can contribute equally.

I wonder how we can make our parish communities a little bit more like CPW.
Are social events welcoming to people of all ages?
Or are there separate women’s, men’s, youth and young adults, groups that seldom interact?
Do we all have the chance to learn from each other?

To any young adults reading this (especially CPW helpers) - once you’ve settled into a parish of your own, volunteer and bring a little CPW spirit into the children’s liturgy or youth club.

To retired people - can you help run the toddlers group?

Mums of teenagers - talk to the new mums and support them.

Dads - get involved in running children’s activities - don’t leave it to the mums!

Teenagers - see how you can help - for example, wash up at coffee mornings as soon as you’re old enough - you were happy doing it at CPW, so keep it up when you return home.

And to anyone reading this who hasn’t been to CPW:
If you don’t have children - come!
If you have children and need a break from them - come!
If you love spending time with young people and the young-at-heart - come!
If you want to get in touch with your inner-child - come!
If you have grandchildren - come, and bring them with you!

Just try to go home at the end of the week with the same children you arrived with!

(Louise Cook)