Faith, formation, fun and friendship. Almost 500 young people from across Melbourne came together for ‘Encounter: ACYF Edition’ at ACU’s Cathedral Hall on Saturday 9 August.
The event was billed as a special lead-up event to this year’s Australian Catholic Youth Festival (30 November – 2 December), and it did not disappoint, with the crowd joyfully singing along to music led by Fr Rob Galea and Kyle Correya, talks by youth leaders, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament led by Archbishop Peter A Comensoli.
Attendees came from all parts of the city—from Narre Warren to Craigieburn and Caroline Springs—representing schools, parishes, youth groups, migrant chaplaincies, universities, movements and communities.
We need a Church that is not afraid. We need people who are unshakable!
‘How many of you here ever worry about what other people think of you?’ asked Fr Rob Galea, who will also headline the festival in December. ‘We worry so much about what others think of us. But here’s the thing: we are called to be witnesses—each and every one of us.
‘We need a Church that is not afraid. We need people who are unshakable!’
The excitement was palpable as attendees mingled, played games and sang along with Fr Rob as he and his band played popular songs including Trading My Sorrows, My Lighthouse and Our God Will Reign.
‘The encounter of our lives’
After chatting with the various groups gathered at the event, Archbishop Comensoli took to the stage and reminisced about the last festival in 2019, ‘when about 1,000 young people from Melbourne made the journey to Perth,’ he said, calling it ‘the encounter of our lives’.
‘It was an extraordinary experience … to engage together, to pray to God together and have fun together’, much like what’s in store for pilgrims later this year, the Archbishop said.
Christ is going to be with us at ACYF. He was with us in Perth, and he’s been with us all along!’
Along with ‘faith, formation, fun and friendship’, pilgrims can also look forward to ‘Masses, music, memories’ and moments of encounter with Christ.
‘He’s going to be with us at ACYF. He was with us in Perth, and he’s been with us all along!’
Archbishop Comensoli shared how previous festivals have helped ‘plant the seed’ of prayer among young people, especially ‘the love that young people have for spending time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament’.
‘To come before Jesus—quietly, gently—just to be there, and him to be with you.’
He described it as something that other generations might look to for inspiration and hope. ‘It’s become the “thing” that you [young people] like to do all the time, which is pretty amazing,’ said Archbishop Comensoli.
Be open to the ‘God moments’
Adoration was very much a highlight for Liz Dinh, who attended the 2019 festival with classmates from Avila College.
‘ACYF was my turning point,’ Liz shared with the hundreds gathered on Saturday night. Before ACYF, she described herself as an ‘average church-goer’ who didn’t know about youth groups or that ‘praise and worship was a thing’.
Since then, Liz has become a a youth leader of her local parish, St Christopher’s Syndal, and has learnt to identify the ‘God moments’ in her life, ‘where God’s placed a hand in his plan for you’.
I learnt that pilgrimage is a journey with God … it was the most life-changing experience.
The first moment came in the lead-up to ACYF 2019, when she encountered other young Catholics, who introduced her to their youth group. The second was realising that her journey to ACYF Perth ‘wasn’t just a trip but a pilgrimage’.
‘I learnt that pilgrimage is a journey with God … so I went over to Perth, and it was the most life-changing experience,’ said Liz.
Her third ‘God moment’ happened during ACYF, when she attended adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for the first time. ‘I didn’t know that adoration existed, and I didn’t know what it entailed.’
But the moment is etched into her memory. ‘Picture this: 6,000 young people kneeling and praying in silence in front of the Blessed Sacrament,’ said Liz. ‘You could hear a pin drop. That’s how insane and crazy and surreal it was.
‘I knew at that moment that my life had changed.’
Liz encouraged Saturday’s crowd to ‘take that leap of faith’ and be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit at ACYF.
‘God’s called you here tonight to come and listen to all of us speak. I really encourage everyone to go to ACYF, and I hope that you encounter the Holy Spirit like I did.’
ACYF to draw young people from across Australia and Oceania
More than 5,000 young people are expected to attend ACYF in Melbourne. The event begins on Sunday 30 November with a walk from St Patrick’s Cathedral through Melbourne’s CBD to the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (MCEC), where the festival will take place.
Run over three days, ACYF provides young people from across Australia with the opportunity to come together to connect, deepen their relationship with Jesus, be empowered to live their faith in the world, and experience the breadth of the Church in Australia. Each day will include the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities, including prayer, Mass, workshops, talks, live concerts, games, justice issues and an interactive expo.
Guest speakers at this year’s ACYF include Sr Mary Grace SV, Fr Rob Galea, Katie Prejean-McGrady, Maggie Grace and Augie Angrisano, with more names expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
The World Youth Day (WYD) Cross and Icon will make a special appearance at ACYF this year. The powerful symbols of hope and prayer were gifted to the youth of the world by St John Paul II and are currently touring Asia in the lead up to World Youth Day Seoul. The last time the cross and icon were in Australia was in 2008, when they were taken to some of the most remote parts of the country en route to World Youth Day Sydney.
ACYF is open to young people from Year 9 to 25 years old. Register now at www.acyf.org.au.
Banner image: Young people from across Melbourne gather for a night of music, prayer and fun in the lead-up to ACYF. All photos by Parallax Media unless otherwise indicated.
