A “magnificent celebration” was the phrase used by Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien to describe the Caritas Award Ceremony held in Glasgow’s Clyde Auditorium on Saturday 2nd June 2012.  An audience of 3,000 gathered to enjoy a fitting tribute to 450 young people whose faith-inspired actions had gained them the very first Caritas Awards ever presented.

Cardinal O’Brien read out a special greeting and apostolic blessing from Pope Benedict XVI (in whose honour the Caritas Award was instigated) to thank the award recipients for their acts of loving service and to encourage them to “persevere along the path of faith” throughout their lives.

Throughout the event, the ‘stories’ of some of the Caritas Award entrants were heard by the audience, and some of the ‘Gathering Point’ resources were played to inform the audience of the award’s purpose.  These items interspersed the presentation of the awards to groups of young people by members of the Bishops’ Conference and byrepresentatives of educational, civic, business and academic life.

Entertainment was provided by comedian Des Clarke and by the Inverclyde Junior Choir and the event was presented by husband and wife David and Maura Currie.