LONDON, OCT. 30, 2007 (Zenit.org).- United Kingdom students looking for a year of break from their studies can now find just the spot -- and grow in their faith while they're at it.
This week, a Web site was launched to encourage young Catholics to consider spending their gap-year -- the year of break before or during university studies, or before beginning to work -- in a Church-run project.
It is the first time that U.K. faith-based organizations have collected and published gap-year opportunities on a single umbrella site.
The www.catholicgapyear.com site, a joint initiative between the Church's National Office for Vocation and Catholic Youth Services, aims to provide young Catholics with information about how and where they can spend a gap-year in a faith environment.
Father Paul Embery, of the Church's National Office for Vocation, said, "We have recognized that many of those who volunteer to work in faith-based environments have their faith nourished while they are there and also go on to serve the Church and wider community later in life in many different ways -- sometimes even in the priesthood or religious life."
Projects that young Catholics can apply to join include residential youth work, sharing a home with physically disabled people, and even projects abroad in less-developed parts of the world.
"We are not saying that young Catholics should only spend their gap-year with the organizations listed on our site; rather we are simply drawing their attention to the opportunities that the Church offers," said Father Embery. "However, we do encourage young adults to think what they can put into society, not just what they can get out of it. All of the projects we list will be challenging and character-building."
ZE07103009 - 2007-10-30