An Eighth Day event is a little hard to describe or categorise; it is somewhat different from other "churchy" events out there! The purpose is not a talk, a discussion, an outreach, a worship event, a bible study, or a prayer group. It's also a bit different from other "non-churchy" events, since it's not a concert/performance, a meal/drinks, a social, a competition/quiz, a networking event, a class or a workshop.
It could include elements of all of the above, but they are underpinned by a particular vision which translates into numerous details (for example, the events are on Sundays, are free to attend - donations welcome! - and people are invited to bring and share snacks and food.)
One of those details is founded on our belief that in-person is where it's at: we don't livestream the events - and you won't find many photos or video clips of the events floating around. (In fact, we've noticed that people tend to put their phones away at Eighth Day events, hopefully because they are too busy having fun!)
These days, a foretaste of virtually everything can be gained remotely via pictures, videos, reviews and comments. This can feel reassuring and will even guide some of our decisions, but it may mean we sometimes lack the opportunity to form our own impressions - or to be surprised - by incarnate experiences!
We recognise that it can take a small leap of faith to attend something "outside the box" for the first time. But we'd love to see you there - and you can bring others with you! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Our first Eighth Day event is called JOY and is an invitation to young adults from across the Diocese to come together, make new friendships and discover how we can celebrate and delight in God together.
The day will include praise and worship, creative activities, fellowship and opportunities to encounter God in a different way, as well as a special guest artist. Our hope is to begin building a community of young adults who want to grow together in faith and support one another.
Come and join us for a day of faith, creativity, friendship and JOY!
when: 11th October 2026
Where: St. Thomas’ Centre, Northampton
Who: Ages 18-35
What time: 5-7pm
The event is free but a donation of £5 would help to cover our cost. This can be paid at the event.
Attendees need to be book to attend so we have an idea of numbers. If you decide to come on the day, or bring others then just send us an email or a message on our socials so we know to expect you.
The vision of 8th day
Eighth Day was a project which ran from the summer of 2022 (starting in Kansas City) until the summer of 2026 in London, inspired by Pope John Paul II’s Dies Domini and Josef Pieper’s In Tune With The World: A Theory Of Festivity.
A team of friends put on unique in-person events where joy, rest, community and creativity could be shared in a host of different ways, often featuring guest artists.
Our hope and our vision in running these events for the Northampton diocese partnering with the original 8th Day team, is to build a community of young adults who grow together in faith and support one another, setting apart time on the Day of Rest to simply be and focus on the Creator who loves us.
why ‘8th day’?
The 8th Day was the day God rested.
Dies Domini encourages us to keep the Day of the Lord. To rediscover Sunday and the true meaning of a day of rest with God set apart and different from the rest of our busy lives. John Paul II highlights the joy that comes from doing that: ‘Do not be afraid to give your time to Christ! Yes, let us open our time to Christ, that he may cast light upon it and give it direction. He is the One who knows the secret of time and the secret of eternity, and he gives us “his day” as an ever new gift of his love. The rediscovery of this day is a grace which we must implore, not only so that we may live the demands of faith to the full, but also so that we may respond concretely to the deepest human yearnings. Time given to Christ is never time lost, but is rather time gained, so that our relationships and indeed our whole life may become more profoundly human.’
This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it – Ps 118:24.
what does it mean to feast?
Josef Pieper in ‘In Tune with the World: A theory of Festivity’ explores the challenge that we’ve forgotten what it means to truly celebrate. That in our culture in the modern age we associate celebration with consumption and coercion, and our festivals are empty of real meaning and importance. He makes us pause and think about how instead we should celebrate existence.
As Christians, as Catholics in particular, we have such a rich tradition of feasting. But understanding how to celebrate, to rest in joy, to join in fellowship without social pressures and rules of reciprocity, is something that is so difficult and so missing in many of our lives. Making space for us to come together, to simply enjoy things that point us to God, is one step in the right direction for rediscovering the joy delighting in existence.
Testimonials
I just want to use this opportunity to thank you for the youths’ event yesterday in the parish of St Augustine, Heelands.
The program was absolutely amazing, Oh the singing at Mass was breathtaking. That has been my vision of how I want a Mass to be.
It was an atmosphere of worship, the kind of atmosphere that can cause an encounter and begin a process of transformation in people. The Holy Spirit was in our midst yesterday in a very palpable way.
I was really touched and words can not express my gratitude to you for your ministry, may your effort be sown for an eternal harvest.
I liked the availability for the young people to have a choice of several workshops.
I attended the workshop on Canva and have since registered as a charity in order to access premium resources. Thank you. My hope is to engage with the youngsters to actively use Canva for advertising and creating posters for parish events.
I was grateful for the youngsters being given the opportunity to attend Reconciliation during the lunch break. This was perfect timing as my group were being confirmed the following Friday!
I always think Bishop David’s Q &A is time well spent with the young people.
The dramatised sections were very good. Very thought provoking and perfectly pitched.
The music ministry was also excellent.
A beautiful mass to end the day.
Thank you to ALL involved
It was lovely to see so many students – I can’t comment on previous years, but I found it well organised with their colours on their lanyards [for the workshops]
It was lovely to be local and have more face to face time with Bishop David. It was great to meet people from the Deanery and have face to face contact.
As catechists, we are truly grateful for the Blaze opportunity and experience over the years, and all the work that the NYMO team puts into this!
I thought it was a really good day for the Confirmation candidates, and we were really grateful to NYMO for putting it on for us.
Our daughter was there for the second time on a weekend like that. The first time was D weekend, and now D summer. She loved those weekends.
She liked all the talks and Prophetic dance. She also liked the craft time.
Thank You very much for everything you do for children.
May God bless you all🙌
Francesco had a great time, he’s already looking forward to coming again next year.
It was fun! I enjoyed the games we played as well as the music!
As her mother, I can say Amelia always enjoys the weekends and comes home full of light and joy. Thank you so much.
I thought the day was very good. A day to meet those involved in Youth ministry . It’s always lovely to put faces to email addresses.
I especially enjoyed the activities provided by RISE Theatre, such a talented and experienced group.
The warm up games were perfect for getting to know people and helped to make me feel more relaxed and comfortable in an unfamiliar setting and among strangers!!
The rest of the day was more enjoyable knowing a little about each of the participants.
A great opportunity to make links with other catechists, which hopefully will continue.
The day gave me a renewed passion for my youth ministry within my parish but also a reassurance that there is a vibrant Diocesan youth team who are available to help and support.
Thank you, looking forward to the next opportunity for a Catechist day!
I will certainly be exploring Youth Leaders’ learning community and have added the online meetings to my calendar.
I’ve had such an incredible time. I’ve been able to work in an amazing team of people, I’ve been able to run events, and I’ve been able to make a genuine impact on other people’s lives by bringing them closer to God. So if there’s anything within you that thinks ‘maybe I can be a youth worker, maybe I could work in youth ministry’ then please apply, because it is such an incredible opportunity!
Thanks for an enjoyable and hugely worthwhile training session. We took away lots of great ideas for planning for the Confirmation programme, and were really grateful.
It’s been so good working with you! The kids loved it and you’ve given us some really good ideas moving forward!
Flame, was such an amazing experience. It was truly heart warming to see how the young people responded to the event. Being present at the event made me realise how alive the Church is! I am very sure that this was a life changing event for some.
I did 3 activities [at Blaze]: there is no “I” in team, the questions and answers with Bishop David, and the activity related to painting. All of these were interesting, and they all showed different things in relation to Confirmation. The one related to painting showed that I can communicate with God in any way, whether it be through painting or praying, I can easily talk to God about anything that is going on in my life. And with the questions and answers with Bishop David, we talked about a more spiritual depth of our lives, for example, why God makes us go through suffering. When I got told the answers to our questions, I felt that I was getting closer to God, and I was able to understand things about God, which I never understood before. The no “I” in team activity showed that sometimes, you can’t go through things alone and that you need teamwork to become better followers of God. They have all prepared me for Confirmation because they have all showed me how to show appreciation to God and how I should act in my life.
I attended Blaze this year for the first time. The whole time I was there I wished I’d had the opportunity to experience such an event as a young person. The activities were incredible; interactive, informative and engaging for all. It really encouraged young people to think about their faith and what it means to them. I feel the experience helped young people to grow in confidence and feel comfortable discussing their experiences and feelings about Catholicism, whilst being educational and fun!
I had started my religious journey when I was quite young. I never asked questions and I was told what to do throughout my religious journey. After time this was what caused me to lose my way. As I grew older I felt something in my life was missing, and I was looking for that gap to fill. At this point, I was recommended the Alpha course. I felt nervous, I felt I needed to know everything before I began the course, but as I went, I asked more and came out of my shell more and more. And I felt that gap fill more and more. The group was so friendly, so warming, and I felt very welcomed. I enjoyed listening to the sessions on each week and being connected. I enjoyed listening to everyone’s experiences, different views. It opened my perspective to what I once knew, and to what I know now. I do recommend the Alpha course, no matter what your personal views. It becomes a part of you more than you realise! This was a great first step in my Catholic Journey, and I look forward to learn more and more as I progress in my faith.