Now in its 11th year, Embrace the Grace will this year focus on the theme of the value of human life.
Entitled Masterpiece Made in His Own Image. Destined to Live Forever, the conference will provide youth aged 16 to 30 from across the Archdiocese with the opportunity to explore faith, life and culture through a mixture of talks, workshops, music, drama and prayer.
An estimated more than 600 youth have attended the Conference since its inception in 2004.
This year’s theme is taken from the message of Pope Francis who, at the 2013 UK Day for Life, expressed the hope that everyone may come to recognise the inestimable value of all human life.
“Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect,” the Pope said.
Respect Life Office Director, Bronia Karniewicz, whose office founded and co-ordinated the event until last year, said this year’s theme is a powerful statement with deep implications for each and every one of those who attend.
“It should give those who attend a strong chance to understand what we perceive, value and understand of our own life, as well as about the lives of each member of the human race,” Ms Karniewicz said.
“Every human being is a Masterpiece. On a basic level, this means that each and every one of us has been created and is not a meaningless product of a random series of accidental events.
“The Catholic faith offers us the deep belief that every human is a masterpiece of God; each of us has an inherent dignity, regardless of our gender, race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, physical appearance, religious beliefs or past actions,” she said.
“People have a dignity that is specific to them and it can never be taken away or be diminished by any circumstances in life. The difficulty is, we don’t always see it.”
Catholic Youth Ministry Perth Co-Ordinator, Vincent Haber, explained that this year’s Embrace the Grace Conference will also look at how we can overcome our history, past hurts, lack of confidence or insecurities and see our self-worth and that of every human person.
One of the speakers unpacking the theme this year, said Mr Haber, will be Paul Kelly, head of Learning Area, Religious Education, at Aquinas College.
“A popular speaker at past conferences, Mr Kelly has inspired and encouraged people to explore the complexities and beauty of the Catholic faith,” Mr Haber said.
A thought-provoking and engaging speaker, the theme of Mr Kelly’s talk is entitled Destined to Live Forever.
“This will be a session about heaven: is it a real place? Can we know it exists? Is it really possible to get there? What does it mean to live forever?” Mr Haber said.
“Too often, we think it is an unrealistic ideal, too challenging or too demanding.
“Yet God created us to always be greater than we are, to be a masterpiece! God is always there to support us along the way and Paul will help us with practical tips to live out our purpose,” he said.
Speaking about his talk, Mr Kelly said his session is hopefully going to inspire and challenge.
“To live as the masterpieces that God created us to be,” Mr Kelly said.
“Embrace the Grace has an infectious power of its own: it’s called grace, the holy power we need to become the saints that God wants us to be.
“The social atmosphere, the intellectual stimulation, the good will, the fun and humour, all contribute to making ETG a very special time for the participants.”
For over a decade, Embrace the Grace has transformed the lives of young people and Catholic Youth Ministry Perth is inviting youth aged 16 to 30 to be part of this year’s amazing experience.
For more information, visit http://cym.com.au/events/masterpiece-etg-2015/ or call Catholic Youth Ministry on 08 9422 7912.