Dear All,
Today we host a special edition about the Australian Catholic Youth Festival. Find information below, and particularly 7 scholarship opportunities that are offered for our diocese. There will be groups travelling from each of the Catholic high schools, as well as diocesan groups for under 18s and over 18s.
In Peace,
Sr Elizabeth Young
youthministry@pp.catholic.org.au
0448 809 134
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“I can do all this through him who strengthens me.” Phillipians 4:13
My Grandpa wrote this in the Bible he and my Grandma gave me when I made my First Communion, which I still use today. It meant a lot to me because even though they were Protestant they went out and found a Catholic edition of the Bible for me. This reading gives me comfort when I'm lost or disheartened, just like it did for my Grandpa.
Karina, Whyalla
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Scholarship opportunities
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There are 5 scholarships offered for public school students in the Port Pirie Diocese and 2 scholarships offered for young people under 25 in the Port Pirie Diocese. This will cover registration price only (no including food, accommodation, transport). For a public school
scholarship, fill in your details at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P7T5JZB or for a general scholarship, https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P9Y2TMC by the 3rd of July.
You will also be asked: “If you were to be successful in gaining a scholarship for the Youth
Festival, what would be your hopes for your Festival experience?”
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The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is a national gathering of Catholic young people
established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. It exists to provide young people with opportunities to deepen their relationship with Jesus, be empowered to be disciples in the world today and encounter and celebrate the vitality of the Church in Australia. The first Festival was held in Melbourne, December 2013. In 2015 young people are invited to attend the Festival hosted by the Archdiocese of Adelaide.
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Young people from year 9 (in 2015) to young adults 25 years of age are invited to the event. Young people under the age of 18 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. Group coordinators can be over 25. The Festival is aiming to gather over 3000 young people from around Australia.
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The Festival will take place from Thursday December 3rd until Saturday December 5th, 2015.
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Where will the Festival be?
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The Festival will be held in Adelaide. The majority of the Festival will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on the banks of the River Torrens, (accessed from North Terrace). Across the city, a short tram ride or walk, St Francis Xavier Cathedral will also provide a place of pilgrimage for young people.
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The Australian Catholic Youth Festival has taken a scriptural verse as its theme - ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’ Matthew 5:8. This theme is provided by Pope Francis as the theme for World Youth Day in 2015, preparation for the pilgrimage to Krakow in 2016.
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Group A:
Who: Archdiocese of Adelaide, Diocese of Port Pirie
Early Bird: $195 (3 days)
Early bird registrations close on August 20.
Normal Registration: $220 (3 days)
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What does my registration include?
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Your registration covers your participation in the Australian Catholic Youth Festival, including all the Plenary Sessions, workshops, music and Expos. There will be amusements and creative opportunities and places to just chill out.
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Do I have to register as a part of a group?
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If you are under 18, you must register as part of a group. You can make your own
or join the diocesan under 18 group coordinated by Louise Stavrou 0417 827 634 stavrou@tpg.com.au. If you are aged 18-25, you can either register as part of a group or as an individual. There is a diocesan over 18s group that will travel and stay together. Contact Katherine Preece or Sr Liz.
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I'm older than 25 - Can I still register as a participant for the Youth Festival?
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You will be unable to register as a participant yourself. You might like to bring along a group of young people instead and register as their Group Coordinator or an Adult Leader assisting with their supervision. Alternatively, if you want to attend the Festival to promote a ministry, order or organisation of which you are a part, then you may wish to register as an Expo Exhibitor. Registration for Expo Exhibitors will open in the coming weeks; spaces are limited.
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Is food included in my registration price?
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No – however when you register, you can purchase a meal ticket for $75.
How many meals does my food ticket include?
The meal ticket includes the following meals:
- Thursday: dinner
- Friday: lunch & dinner
- Saturday: lunch & dinner
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Various accommodation options are available. If travelling individually, you may have family or friends in Adelaide. The Port Pirie Diocesan groups are booking shared simple group accommodation. Contact Sr Liz if you would like to talk about options.
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The Port Pirie Diocese is looking to coordinate transport to and from Adelaide for the Festival. Depending on numbers, this may cover participants from Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Augusta and Port Pirie. Participants from other places may have to travel separately.
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How can I promote the event at my parish or youth group?
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The Australian Catholic Youth Festival includes plenary sessions, workshops, dialogue spaces, prayer experiences, live music, justice activities and much more. A full schedule is being develop, but a basic outline has been established.
Thursday 3rd December
9am -1:30pm Registration pick up*
1:30pm-3:30pm Opening Plenary
3:30pm – 9:00pm Festival Experience+
Friday 4th December
8:45am – 9:15am SA Mass (Cathedral)
10am-11am Morning Plenary
11am – 5:30pm Festival Experience+
7pm-9pm Evening Plenary
Saturday 5th December
10am-11am Morning Plenary
11am – 5:30pm Festival Experience+
7pm-9pm Closing Mass
*Registration pick up will also be available in the afternoon of Wednesday 2nd December
+ Festival experience includes a diverse range of concurrent initiatives including workshops, live music, expo, prayer experiences, service projects, etc.
Workshop topics, experience types, presenters and musicians will be announced as soon as possible.
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What else will be part of the program?
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Two international speakers have been announced: The Festival is excited to be
welcoming back Steve Angrisano one of the most effective and versatile ministry leaders in the Church today. Steve inspired participants at the Festival in 2013 with his spirit of
humility and faithfulness. With his keen intuition into the needs of his audiences he blends humour, song and story to engage young people in their own stories of faith.
The Festival is also excited to welcome Jason Evert. Jason has traveled to six continents to bring the message of chastity to more than one million people over the past 15 years. Jason earned a master’s degree in Theology, and undergraduate degrees in Counseling and Theology, with a minor in Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is a best-selling author of more than ten books, including Theology of the Body for Teens, Saint John Paul the Great, and How to Find Your Soulmate without Losing Your Soul.
There will also be keynote speakers from Australia, including young people, bishops and leading members of the Catholic community. The Plenary sessions are times of animation, talks and worship/prayer experiences with the entire Festival cohort. The 'Festival Experience' times are a smorgasboard of things to do, hear and participate in. Each
person/group can choose their own schedule, with offerings of workshops, pilgrimage tours, bishops' listening sessions, social justice activities, prayer experiences, interactive expo and more. The schedule will have sessions listed starting each half hour, but it is worth planning your time before the Festival begins to get the most out of it. There will also be other ongoing opportunities, such as a sacred space with prayer and Reconciliation, an outside stage for bands and discussion corners. Whatever your level of interest, involvement or commitment to your faith, there is something for everyone.
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Where can I find out more?
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