By Rebecca DiGirolamo
Texan-born singer/songwriter Steve Angrisano was 15 years old when he attended his first Catholic youth concert.
“It was a turning point for me to experience a faith that was alive and calling for me,” he says. “The rest of my life changed because of that experience.”
In December, the 49-year-old – one of the highest-selling Catholic musicians globally, will be performing before an expected audience of 4,000 youth in Adelaide at the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF).
Adelaide will be hosting the biennial event for the first time.
“It will be nothing like young people in Adelaide have ever seen before,” says Steve. He was in Adelaide last month presenting a music workshop at Cardijn College and speaking at Pub Theology as part of a three-week working visit to Australia.
Steve says the enthusiasm and wonder of local youth experiencing their first encounter of being a young Catholic on a national scale was “extraordinary to witness”.
“You are able to witness faith happen right before your eyes,” he says. Steve took part in the inaugural ACYF held in Melbourne in 2013.
He says it’s an opportunity Adelaide youth should not miss. “Just going to Mass with 4,000 other young people will be so empowering.”
Steve will be presenting at plenary sessions and giving workshops on living the Catholic faith and on music at the ACYF Adelaide. He will perform songs from some of his eight albums and will speak on the function of liturgical music and how to integrate music more effectively into the liturgy.
“We are absolutely thrilled that Steve has agreed be a part of the festival in Adelaide as a major presenter,” says James Meston, ACYF diocesan coordinator.
“It’s his first time here and the first time an Adelaide audience will hear him sing.”
Steve is a veteran musician, composer and youth minister who has performed at eight World Youth Days, several national Catholic youth conferences in the United States and 14 Catholic gatherings in Los Angeles, attracting 25,000 youth each time.
Steve started his career as a youth minister in his Dallas diocese and ran music workshops for local schools. In 1993, he was invited to address the LA Congress and performed for Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Denver.
“In 1993, I went from being a local guy to singing to the Pope and performing in front of 12,000 people and it thrust me into a national spotlight.”
The ACYF will be held in Adelaide from 3-5 December. Registrations are now open. For more information, visit www.youthfestival.catholic.org.au. – Courtesy The Southern Cross
Hotels filling quickly
More than 950 hotel beds have already been booked by groups planning to attend the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Adelaide in December.
At a briefing day held last month, interstate and local school and youth group leaders heard that an accommodation agency has sourced 1,600 rooms in the $65-$80 per head range and they were rapidly being sold.
Accommodation consultant Shanna Sheldrick said more blocks of accommodation would be booked but they would have a higher room rate.
More than 4,000 young people are expected to attend the second Australian Catholic Youth Festival being held at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
Ms Sheldrick said this was “right up there” in terms of the size of conferences held in Adelaide and would have a huge impact on the economy.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Office for Youth director Mr Malcolm Hart said two international presenters, Jason Evert and Steve Angrisano, had been secured and a diverse list of high-profile Catholics and youth specialists was being put together. He said the festival would also include workshops, live music, exhibitions, walks, Masses and prayer experiences.
A key feature of the festival would be discussion forums where young people would gather to talk informally with bishops and Church leaders on various topics of interest to youth.
Group leaders toured the Convention Centre as part of the briefing day, which was livestreamed around Australia by Xt3 TV.
Anyone looking for accommodation in Adelaide should contact Ms Sheldrick at shanna@premiereventconcepts.com.au.