By Amanda Murthy
American speaker and writer Katie Prejean McGrady expressed that the best part traveling 150,000 miles a year worldwide to preach the Gospel of Christ, are the authentic human encounters she gains, and being able to get young people excited to love Jesus.
“It’s the conversations that are exchanged.
“A young person comes up to me and says thank you, or when I get to ask them what stuck out to them in the talks, or when we are able to share stories with each other,” she added.
The proud mother to two-year old daughter Rose, and wife to Tommy, sat down with The Record during her time at the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) to give a recap on her talks, and challenged the youth of today to use their faith in Jesus to be world-changers.
“I gave a talk called ‘You Gotta Have Faith.’ It was all about our encounter with Jesus Christ that leads to passionate faith. How do we then articulate that and share it with the world?” she explained.
“I do a lot of research with Gen Z, and data shows that this particular generation want to be world changers, they truly believe that they can change the world.
“My hopes is that talk will encourage them to inspire them to be the type of people to go and articulate their encounters with Jesus,” she added.
In her second talk Mary, Queen of Heaven, Katie spoke of Our Lady as the perfect modal of faith.
“Mother Mary was a teenager, of course she is without sin, which sometimes may seem difficult for us to relate to, but in reality she is a woman that said yes. And that one yes, changed the world,” Katie added.
Her plenary keynote, leading into Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the second night of ACYF, was about opening up to the Holy Spirit and the Father’s love leading us to and encounter with the Holy Spirit.
During the session, Katie told the 5500 young Church gathered that the youth of Australia in 2019 are uniquely suited to be a witness, a voice to the goodness of God and the joy of the Gospel.
“You are truly made for not only something great, you’re not only made to make an impact in this world, but ultimately you are made to have a seat in the heavenly kingdom, you are made to worship God for eternity,” she said.
“You are the ones – I’m convinced of this deeply – you are the ones that can change the world.”
Encouraging the youth of ACYF to take the time to listen to the voice of God, when discerning their vocation in life – be it in their careers, married life, religious life or single life – Katie said the key is to always be ‘opened to the surprises God has in store.’
“The moment we are baptised, we all have a vocation, its’ there and we don’t have to go around digging for it,” she stated.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions to the right people about the faith – visit religious communities, speak with them and so take the time not just to listen, but then pursue, should religious life be your calling.
“In our everyday moments whether in our career choices, friends we choose to keep, the stuff that we choose to post on social media.
“We have to always ask ourselves the question ‘How is this decision, how is this moment leading me closer to Christ?” she concluded.
Also on pages 18 to 19 of Issue 23: 2019 Australian Catholic Youth Festival: ‘Rebuild of Church’ of The Record Magazine