There is real concern in England around dwindling Mass attendance, priest shortages and the abandonment of Church teaching – it is hardly unique in that respect. What this past weekend showed me is what England does have: a creative bunch of young Catholics who are bravely endeavouring to offer solutions rather than merely acknowledge the problems. This past weekend, I joined 2,700 people at St Mary’s Seminary in Oscott for the WeBelieve Festival.
What began in the summer of 2025 as a commemoration of the Jubilee Year is on the fast track to becoming one of the most popular Catholic events in the UK. A big part of its appeal comes from its target audience: everyone. What might at first seem overambitious, the WeBelieve Festival has made seem almost effortless. Somehow, its staff have put together a weekend that wove together laity and clergy, priests and Religious, young and old, traditional and charismatic, East and West into a single, unified celebration.
