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Picture the scene. It’s Tuesday night of Week 0 in the Autumn term and in a kitchen of Vanbrugh’s notorious X Block a group of freshers are wondering what to do. “Umm, there's a quiz at the Catholic Chaplaincy … ” I suggest. A short while later me and half my corridor are in the library of More House attempting to answer impossible questions. My team (“Pants Internationale”) emerged as victors and yup, you guessed it, the prize was beer.
This was my first contact with Cassoc, and they all seemed like nice people and after 18 years of going to a church with a distinct lack of young people it was nice to meet some Catholics of my own age. However, I was quite unprepared for the wide range of activities Cassoc offers.
Over the year there have been talks on a variety of topics, from AIDS and medical ethics, through Christian Unity, to English Catholics and their History (which was given by Jack Scarisbrick, a famous historian). There have been the thought provoking Bible and Faith study sessions, and more recently the mid-week prayer meetings in the chapel.
For me one of the highlights of the year was the retreat to Ampleforth Abbey, a Benedictine monastery near York. It was one of the most spiritual and prayerful experiences of my life, and during the course of the weekend I feel I discovered a lot about God and myself. The monks’ offices were also well worth getting up at 6 o’clock in the morning for, and the image of them chanting Vespers in Latin in the dimly lit church, wearing their voluminous black robes, with candles on the alter and incense hanging in the air is something I will never forget.
There was another memorable occasion at the start of the Summer term, when several students received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion during a special mass which was held in the magnificent surroundings of the Bar Convent Chapel in York.
On the social action front, we have raised money for a number of charities with our Bread and Soup Lunches, and participated in Christian Aid week. Next year some of us are hoping to get involved with some of the local SVP (Saint Vincent de Paul) groups.
Of course, I couldn’t possibly write about Cassoc without mentioning our more secular activities (i.e. the parties), which are always guaranteed to be fun, the Saturday night videos and our football team.
In my opinion (which is admittedly rather biased), Cassoc membership is truly worthwhile; after all, not many societies offer everything from prayers to parties, so why not come along and get involved?
Pro Deo has only been set up for just over a year now and so we don’t have a regular pattern of meetings. The society aims to provide events within the arts field for any Christian on campus, and so this depends on what the members want to happen and changes with each different group of people that join. This means workshops, performances, links with outside groups — anything and everything.
Last year, because it was the first year, was very much trial and error, but we did have workshops in the Autumn term for singing, drams, dance, music, creative writing, and art and we put on a production of ‘Godspell’, which was a great success. I hope that the year coming will bring more of God’s gifts to the fore.
I think that Pro Deo is giving Christians on campus a huge opportunity for spiritual expression through the arts and I know that, even through the muddle of starting something new, I was able to see God and his work more clearly.
Pro Deo is now run by a small, but select, committee, who are dedicated to serving your every artistic need. If you want to put on a poetry reading, or a gallery, or a musical soirée, or anything else for that matter, just let them know and they’ll do their best to enable you to express the joy, peace and excitement of knowing Jesus.
The fun is only just beginning!
Having dutifully paid my £1.50 membership fee to Christis at the Freshers’ Fair, I was reminded of their existence every so often, when a copy of their latest issue was popped in my pigeonhole, but I didn’t actually join the team and start coming to meetings until after Christmas. The great thing about Christis is that you don't actually have to be a budding writer or artist to help out, which suited me just fine. So I just stuck around listening to the interesting (err, I mean, highly spiritual and intellectually stimulating, honest!!) discussions and helping with the proof-reading and staple ups.
The great thing about Christis is its quirky, “unique” character. Unfortunately our Christis summer picnic on the grass had to be cancelled due to the rain, but we had a great lunch in the Charles to make up. And those who weren’t too busy panicking about exams and looming coursework deadlines had a great time on our summer Ooze Cruise … But the best thing about Christis has to be it’s football team!!!!! — we have to be seen to be believed. Comprised of all those who can’t think of a suitably impressive excuse at the time of asking, this motley bunch have a weird and incomprehensible tendency to lose, whenever we are mad enough to be convinced to play against MethAng. (This could possibly have something to do with the fact that we never practise, and that a third of us have never played the game in our lives, but hey, who cares, it’s only a game!!! … — But that’s just a cover-up. We’re better than they are really, honest! We’re just letting them win, because we don't want to hurt their feelings after all the hard work they’ve put in!)
Anyway, Christis is the best club on campus, with the best group of people (except they’ve all just gone and left us to face that scary place known as the “Real World”, so we need some new talent!) so don’t forget to come and find our stall at the Freshers’ Fair. We meet up each Wednesday afternoon at 14:15 (supposedly!), in Derwent D/112, so if you ever fancy popping along you’re welcome to join us.
Unfortunately the C.U. were unable to meet our tight schedule before printing so we are unable to print their review. Rest assured however that the C.U. here at York is very much alive and kicking, I have joined it and have had a great time. It is a large evangelical, evangelistic group who meet weekly in Derwent JCR (Junior Common Room) at 19:00 for joint praise and worship and to listen to a speaker. There are also weekly prayer meetings on a university level.
Further to this are the individual college C.U.s which operate separately but under the wing of the main society. These meet as two or three different small groups each week to have shared Bible study, prayer and fellowship. To find out more about the main Christian Union or to locate your college rep. email them on socs25@york.ac.uk or come along to the introductory meeting (which will be followed by a groovy ceilidh) in Alcuin Dining Hall at 18:15.
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Last modified: 25th November 2005