ACYF 2019 set to tune into what the Spirit is saying
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB address the crowd after Perth is announced as the host for ACYF 2019. Photo: Cyron Sobrevinas.
The next Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) will be held in the Archdiocese of Perth from Sunday 8 December to Tuesday 10 December 2019.
With the aim of promoting and engaging with the life and voice of young Catholics, equipping them to live out their faith in the world, ACYF is the largest Catholic gathering in Australia and is expected to host more than 5000 young people next year.
The festival will be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC), a holistic venue solution allowing the festival’s large plenaries, workshops, expo and experiences to be under one roof while being centrally located to Perth CBD and public transport.
The festival will focus on the theme “Listen to what the Spirit is saying” (Rev 2:7), which is the scriptural focus of the 2020 Plenary Council.
With vital consultation with young people being of particular importance during this important journey in the life of the Church in Australia, the festival will involve prayer for and discussion of the Plenary Council.
The 2017 Australian Catholic Youth Festival took place in Sydney. Photo: Alphonsus Fok.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB expressed his joy and hope for the festival in Perth.
“As God called St Francis of Assisi many hundreds of years ago to ‘go and rebuild the Church’, I pray our young people might hear this same calling,” he said.
“It will be a fantastic experience and an opportunity for our young people to commit themselves to helping the Church become the Church God wants it to be and the world needs it to be.”
Peter Yensch, CEWA Deputy Executive Director and ACYF Steering Committee Chair, encouraged young people across Australia to remember that their voice is important in the life of the Church.
“This could be for many youth, a real opportunity to develop a meaningful dialogue with Christ,” Mr Yensch said.
“It’s the chance for them to see the Church alive in person and also share their thoughts and ideas on how the Church can grow, particularly in the face of an ever-increasing secular society.”
WA youths celebrate the news that ACYF 2019 will be held in Perth .Photo: Cyron Sobrevinas.
The Perth Convention Bureau has provided generous support to promote ACYF19 and is excited to welcome pilgrims from all over Australia to explore the naturally beautiful, cosmopolitan, and friendly city of Perth.
Director of the ACBC Office for Youth, Malcom Hart, said the ACYF has grown into one of the most prominent events in the life of the Catholic Church in Australia, with the next one building on the recent synod.
“The ACYF19 event will build upon the Australian Bishops’ Year of Youth and Pope Francis’ General Synod on Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment, leading the local voice of young people into the Plenary Council 2020,” he said.
With the festival website being updating in the coming weeks, an event outline has been released to help to begin planning for the ACYF. The brief includes dates, venue, estimated costs, and accommodation support.
The festival website www.acyf.org.au will have further details in the coming weeks, with Registration opening in early 2019.