INDIVIDUAL and collective faith-filled moments coloured this year’s Ignite Conference themed, “The Moment” and held at St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane, for the first time in its decades-long history.
Opening the four-day conference for 1300 participants on September 22, MCs Bethany Bottesini and Peter Munns set the scene for an energetic and renewing opportunity for teens, young adults and adults, families and children, priests and religious.
“We can’t wait to hear about your ‘moment’,” Bethany Bottesini told an enthusiastic crowd on the first night.
Ignite Youth Director Kym Keady was equally excited to be embarking on what she always describes as her “Christmas” with the beginning of the conference and acknowledging the Yuggera people on whose land the gathering was taking place.
“Our whole life is made up of moments,” Mrs Keady said.
“(There are) so many things that can change our lives in a moment … (and) there are so many moments that Jesus works. Jesus healed the crippled man … (and) died on the Cross.
“I want you to have a moment with God, whatever is going on with you. I hope that when you go home, you can say, ‘I am better than what I was on Thursday night’.”
Keynote speaker Maddie Wilson further encouraged the crowd by sharing some of the “moments” that contributed to her becoming the person God destined her to be.
“Whatever are the moments that brought you here today, it is no accident that you have landed on these seats tonight,” she said.
“People create this space and believe that your life can be utterly changed in a way that means you can’t go back to the way it was before.”
Ms Wilson eventually asked the question that would be answered from then until the Sunday afternoon: “What is the moment that your life could change forever?”
A memorable Mass presided by Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge followed on the second day (September 23), among other diocesan and visiting priests.
The promised mix of prayerful and educational opportunities continued, from workshops specific to age and interest, invitations to receive God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance as well as a time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on September 23 and an encounter with God’s Holy Spirit on the evening of September 24.
The dawn of the final day of September 25 seemed too soon for many who had enjoyed the experience of encounter, and visiting priest Fr Dan McCaughan was gentle in his summation of “coming down from the summit”.
Mrs Keady was thrilled that the new venue “and partnership with Laurie’s” had gone significantly well and was looking forward to the Sydney opportunity just days later, from September 29 to October 2.
She was also thrilled to announce the 2023 Ignite Conference theme of “Wonder” saying that the team “spend twelve months preparing, starting now”.
Those behind-the-scenes as well as the dynamic emmanuelworship band were buoyed to hear Archbishop Coleridge describe Ignite Youth as playing “a major part” in the faith development of this country.
