CATHOLIC youth ministers from across Australia will gather in Sydney in July to share their experiences and dreams at the first National Symposium on Catholic Youth Ministry.
The symposium, to be hosted by the Broken Bay Institute, is titled “Builders and Dreamers: Creating Sustainable Ministry with Young People”.
Institute director Dr Gerard Goldman said the symposium was the result of collaboration over the past few years with leaders in Catholic youth ministry in Australia.
“The combination of both international and national leaders in youth ministry as well as presentations from those at the coalface of this ministry promises to be an exciting gathering,” Dr Goldman said.
“The opportunity for participants to further their understanding of youth ministry is available as two academic courses will follow immediately after the two-day symposium.
The courses will be completed online, led by international experts.
Bishop Michael Putney of Townsville will be a panellist at the symposium and principal celebrant of the symposium Mass.
Symposium speakers will include US youth ministry experts Dr Charlotte McCorquodale and Dr Bob and Dr Maggie McCarty.
Director of evangelisation and catechesis for World Youth Day 2008, Steve Lawrence, will be a keynote dinner speaker.
Brisbane archdiocese’s Youth and Children’s Ministry development officer Michael Hart said the symposium was an attempt to capture some of the rich history and experience of youth ministry in Australia and record it for the next generation.
“This symposium presents itself as the place where people from different ministry contexts – school, university, parish, movement – can gather to share their reflections on the practice and principles of ministry with young people in Australia,” he said.
The symposium will run from July 3-4.
For more information phone Liz Jones at the Broken Bay Institute on (02) 9473 4565 or e-mail ejones@brokenbay.catholic.org.au
