Blesseds who started great works at a young age inspire Perth conference, named as Catholic Youth Ministry Perth’s new patrons.
Two inspiring individuals who overcame adversity to discern their vocation at a young age were announced as the new patrons of Perth’s archdiocesan Catholic Youth Ministry office at its July 15-19 Hope Conference at Chisholm Catholic College in Bedford.
Over 70 people turned out for the ‘Hope’ World Youth Day reunuion conference, with presenters taking Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 World Youth Day message and his 2007 encyclical Spe Salvi (On Christian Hope) for inspiration.
CYM took the opportunity to announce their new spiritual patrons, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Mary MacKillop. Frassati expert Fr Timothy Deeter and Josephite Sister Maree Riddler RSJ detailed the struggles, faith and good works of both venerable rolemodels in Catholicism.
“Through their struggles and personal challenges, their faith is what helped them through it all and we can relate so strongly to their lives,” CYM director Anita Parker told The Record.
“The challenge now is to see if we can be more like them in our own lives.”
The conference, convened by Catholic Youth Network – a body made up of Catholic agencies and organisations with an active interest in youth – and administered by CYM, was CYM’s first conference since the former WYD Perth Director Anita Parker took the helm as director in late 2008. Attendees came from parishes, communities and movements throughout Perth and as far afield as Pinjarra, Narrogin and Katanning to hear inspiring messages from some of Perth’s prominent Catholic personalities.
The conference theme came from the Pope’s chosen World Youth Day scripture – “We have set our hope on the living God” (1 Tim 4:10) – with organisers asking speakers and facilitators to focus on different sections of the encyclical.
Speakers and workshop facilitators included Mike Sandrini from 24/7 Youth Ministry, Mario Borg from the Disciples of Jesus, Bishop Don Sproxton, diocesan vocations director Fr Thai Vu, Respect Life Office executive officer Bronia Karniewicz and local representatives from Caritas and the Young Vinnies.
Mass and music were a daily feature with praise and worship provided by a dedicated music team made up of young Catholics from Leederville, Morley, Whitford and Bateman parishes as well as Impact Catholic Ministry. The conference concluded with a ‘Sunday Sesh’ at Greenwood parish – a CYM-run localised ministry night run in one north-of-the-river parish and one south, once a month.
The Sunday night closing featured Perth author Norma Woodcock sharing her views on and understanding of the importance of prayer with the 85 young people in attendance.
For more info on future CYM events, see www.cym.com.au.