MORE than 150 Catholic youth ministers from across Australia gathered in Sydney on July 3-4 for Australia’s first National Symposium on Catholic Youth Ministry.
The symposium, hosted by the Broken Bay Institute, and titled “Builders and Dreamers: Creating Sustainable Ministry with Young People”, was the result of collaboration over the past few years with leaders in Catholic youth ministry in Australia and built on the groundbreaking 1992 conference, Common Ground.
Every state and territory was represented at the symposium, including three delegates from South Korea.
Twenty papers were presented, including one from Brisbane’s World Youth Day Secretariat co-ordinator Michael Hart on “The Evolution of the Youth Ministry Worker and the Search for Longevity” and Brisbane South Deanery youth co-ordinator Jaye Barros on “Solid Leaders: Solid Future”.
Keynote speakers were youth ministry experts from the United States, Bob and Maggie McCarty and Dr Charlotte McCorquodale.
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 time is right to build on the experience of the past and imagine a bright new future for ministry with young people in this country.”
The symposium ended with Mass at St Agatha’s Church, Pennant Hills, celebrated by Bishop Michael Putney of Townsville.
