When I was in high school I had a stint on the school’s track and field team (I think Aussies call it athletics??). I liked track and field because I didn’t have to learn many rules and because it was mostly about individual achievement… that is, it was hard to let down my team mates with a bad pass or kick, I just had to run, jump and throw. I had never done well with team sports, so track was easier for me to manage. I was a sprinter specialising in the 100 and 200 meter dash. I was pretty good at it so I was asked to be on a relay team.

Last weekend over 100 young people ages 16 to 30 and leaders from schools, parishes and communities across the Archdiocese of Adelaide. The Diocesan Youth Assembly was the next step in the ongoing synodal journey taking place in the archdiocese, continuing on from the 2021 Diocesan Assembly, Plenary Council and 2023 Synod of Bishops.

What is something that young people desire in their lives? As a young person growing up, I wanted adventure! I lived in the Adelaide Hills during high school, and I would love going on adventures in the bushland near my house. I would go off the path occasionally and try and follow the creek as far as I could go, until it became impossible to follow without getting completely soaked in water. I would carry around a stick like it was a sword and swipe away at thistles on the path like they were orcs from the Lord of the Rings. The peace that would come from being out in nature and hearing nothing but the birds and the wind in the trees. Adventure felt right, and it made me happy to be young. Recently though, I’ve forgotten what its like to live in the moment. I’ve been looking too hard at the things that are ahead, worrying about the future, complaining when things don’t go the way I thought they would. I’ve forgotten what its like to simply be.

My point is that this popular focus on being your ‘best self’ can actually prevent us from finding ways to work together to be a better community. There is absolutely nothing wrong with personal development and self-care, but my concern with the focus on ‘winning at life’ is that we’re accepting that there are people who are losing….

In a few weeks we will be entering a new phase in the life of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, and a couple weeks after that, the life of the Australian Church. The 2021 Diocesan Assembly and Plenary Council offer our local and national Catholic community an opportunity to listen deeply to young people, to allow ourselves to be converted and experience a transformation of love. Young people are calling us out of the comfort of our church buildings and the confines of convention and into the streets, the homes and lives of everyday, ordinary people, of those in deep need, and to address the realities and challenges of our time. Will we listen? Will we have the humility to allow ourselves to be accompanied?

Welcome to Lockdown #2!

Although those of us in South Australia had a small lockdown late last year, this current lockdown comes at a time where a lot of us are feeling very tired and frustrated with the reality of living through a global pandemic.

I know that many of us are feeling the effects of being separated from family and loved ones over this coming week and even just the thought of having to spend an extended amount of time at home can be very overwhelming.

Alongside our resources page, we thought that we would share a few more resources with you in this blog post to help you pass the time whilst we are doing our bit to ensure the safety of everyone.

When I was younger, I had my sights set on becoming famous. I wanted to be a celebrity, and I thought that I had the best reason – celebrities made a difference. They had lots of money and were often in the news for numerous good deeds (I don’t think I paid much attention to the negatives of being famous). To me it was clear: fame + fortune = changing the world.

Fast forward to 2021: I am quickly approaching my 25th birthday and I am definitely not on the road to being famous, but I have learnt a thing or two about how my little life can have big impacts.

As night fell on the clear but chilly evening, over eighty young people from across Adelaide gathered for a youth vigil mass in the Church. It was kicked off by Gen joining the Vietnamese Catholic youth band singing “Veni Creator Spiritus” meaning; “Come Creator Spirit”. The beautifully sung hymn repeated over and over gave a sense of awareness of the Holy Spirit within everyone...

There’s no one way of engaging in ministry with young people in the Catholic Church. In fact, there are probably as many ways of ministering as there are ‘ministers’ and those with whom we minister. That is to say, ministry reflects the needs of the individual in the community and the gifts of the minister.

I recently made a confession to a group of youth ministry leaders, and I share it with you if you promise not to make fun of me. I love maps. I always have, and I think they have something to teach us about planning for ministry with young people.

On February 26 and 27 over 60 people gathered at St. Mary’s College in Adelaide for the annual youth ministry leaders’ conference, New Horizons. Organised by the Catholic Office for Youth and Young Adults (COYYA) , New Horizons provides formation, planning, networking and training opportunities for leaders of ministries for young people including youth ministers, parish youth leaders, youth movement new ecclesial community leaders, social justice coordinators, APRIMs/RECs, teachers, parents, parish workers and clergy.

In my role as Coordinator of the Catholic Office for Youth and Young Adults I am often a guest at Parish Pastoral Council meetings, school boards, and many faith groups and diocesan agencies. I am usually there to listen and offer advice on pastoral ministry with young people. Inevitably someone in the meeting will ask a question like, “Where are the young people anyway? How do we get them to come back to church?” Or if they are a really despairing individual, they will say, “We’ve already tried youth ministry, it’s a lost cause. We need to focus our attention and resources on those who show up on Sundays.” Both responses are completely legitimate reactions to the absence of young people from Sunday worship, but they are misinformed.