Youth festival an opportunity to listen and learn
08 December 2019
MEDIA RELEASE
Sunday 8 December 2019
Hundreds of CEWA students and staff will be among 5000 pilgrims attending the Australian Catholic Youth Festival which begins today at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and concludes on Tuesday.
Young people, aged 14 to 30, have travelled from around Australia to experience three days of inspirational talks, music and activities based on the theme Listen to what the Spirit is saying, which has been adopted from the scriptural focus of the 2020 Plenary Council.
International guests include popular American evangelists Katie Prejean McGrady, an honest and humorous storyteller, and Catholic music star Joe Melendrez, who will each bring their unique perspective and energy to the stage.
Key local presenters include Walk Free Foundation co-founder Grace Forrest who will deliver her talk, Conscious consumerism; simple tips helping consumers demand change on Monday.
Also on Monday, Kylie Agale from CEWA’s Aboriginal Education Team will join Donella Brown from Perth’s Aboriginal Catholic Ministry to present We are the carers of our future – an experience centred in Aboriginal spirituality.
CEWA schools feature throughout the week, including Newman College whose students are running a Caring for the Forgotten activity on Monday, and students from Servite College’s 24/7 SERVE group who on Tuesday will share how to Write for Others’ Rights.
CEWA Executive Director Dr Debra Sayce will present a workshop, Our Call to Holiness: being, becoming and belonging, on Monday.
Dr Sayce said the Festival would be a formative and experiential opportunity for young people to discuss the issues and challenges they face as young Catholics in Australia.
“This is such a wonderful opportunity to explore and share their vision of what they see for the future of the Catholic Church,” she said.
“It’s an amazing time to come together to celebrate and grow in their faith, to meet new people, and to be challenged to act and serve as Jesus calls them to.”
For more information on the Festival, go to youthfestival.catholic.org.au.
