Held IN the monastic town of New Norcia, the Embrace the Grace (ETG) youth conference will celebrate 10 years on December 15.
An initiative of the Respect Life Office to give young Catholics a chance to share and enhance their faith, ETG is a five-day event starting from December 11 for people aged between 16 and 30.
“ETG is a forum where we can question, challenge and explore both our faith and contemporary society,” Eliza McKay, organiser of ETG, told The Record.
“ETG provides us with a community of other young people who are trying to live the values of the Church in the secular world.”
Aquinas College teacher Paul Kelly and Sister Bernadette Pike MG pulled together a team of young Catholics who committed their time and talents to the project, resulting in the Embrace the Grace conference.
Inspired by the words of Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Veritatis Splendor, Miss McKay chose the theme ‘Called to Freedom’ for this year’s conference.
“Freedom is sometimes seen as the ability to do whatever we feel like,” Miss McKay said.
“In contrast, John Paul II associates freedom with the opportunity to choose to act in love and service of others and to allow ourselves to become the best people we can be.”
Being the best we can be is not without its challenges, but Miss McKay, who has attended four ETG conferences, believes the answer lies in the conference.
“ETG is an enduring conference where I can invite friends, family and other young people from my parish so that they can experience the Church and connect to other young Catholics,” Miss McKay said.
“The environment at ETG as well as the spiritual direction and sacraments available help us to connect with God and with each other at a deeper level; the ETG experience inspires us to be better people.”
She urged the youth to come to ETG believing that the conference is a remedy to dispel any doubts. “I would challenge anyone who thinks the Church’s teachings are irrelevant to take the time to explore them,” Miss McKay said.
“Read, for example, what the last few Popes have been saying to young people; the message of Jesus Christ is echoed in every age by the Church and is applicable in every aspect of our lives.”
Through the ETG conference, Miss McKay has learnt a lot about her faith and said she has experienced the beauty and vibrancy of the Church. The conference has allowed her to ask questions and explore delicate and difficult matters.
“I was inspired by the other young people I met, and grew in my love of God and his Church,” she said. “It encouraged me to explore my faith more, participate in other Catholic initiatives and get involved with parish youth ministry; I’ve had an absolute ball at every ETG I’ve been to.”