The Divine Word Missionaries joined more than 2000 high schoolers, young adults, youth leaders, teachers, priests and religious who took part in a life-changing encounter with God and the Church at the Ignite Youth Conference in Brisbane recently.
SVD AUS Province Vocations Director, Fr Yon Wiryono, who attended the event, said the conference, which reflected on the theme ‘Rise Up’ was “incredible and encouraging”.
“I could see the aliveness of Christ in the young people,” he said.
The Ignite Conference is a gathering of young Catholics over four days of real-world formation, renewal of faith, meeting of people and powerful worship. This year, it was held both in Brisbane and in northern Sydney in the Diocese of Broken Bay.
Fr Yon joined other religious congregations and Church ministries and organisations in hosting a stall at the Brisbane conference, representing the SVD and inviting the young people to ‘come and see’.
“It is a national Catholic conference, a conference for everyone, from leaders to first-time believers. This is the Church gathered and alive in mission. This is God’s young people united with one heart,” he said.
Fr Yon said there were many inspiring presenters and workshops during the conference, including Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge who said: “We need ignition in the Church - a new spark. Ignite Youth introduces young people to the person of Jesus in a new way; not as someone who lived once upon a time, but someone whose presence and power is here and now, good news for your life and mine.”
Praise and Worship was one of the powerful experiences during this Conference. Among those leading worship was well-known musician priest Fr Rob Galea who said Ignite Youth was an “experience of the Church fully alive in faith. The ground shakes as we gather for explosive worship, powerful preaching and life-changing encounters of God”.
Fr Yon said Ignite Youth had a profound personal effect on both him and many of the young people who attended.
“This event was a place to be inspired, whether taking the first steps in your faith journey or seeking to go deeper,” he said. “Young people gathered to share ideas, sink into new concepts and learn about the heart of God and His plan for our lives.
“It was a special time to meet Jesus in a powerful way through the holy Sacraments.”
It was also a wonderful opportunity for the SVD to be part of such a vibrant event in the life of the Church.
As Vocations Director for the Province, Fr Yon said being present at such events might not result in immediate vocations enquiries, but it raises awareness and introduces young people to the possibilities of missionary life.
“I believe this is not about recruiting, but it is like a signpost. Everyone can see the signs that McDonalds have everywhere. So, this vocations promotion is kind of like putting up the sign to young people that they can be part of the SVD mission, that there is an invitation for them, if they feel called, to join missionary religious life, just like we have done,” he said.
“In other words, it is creating an awareness. We are present there to promote awareness of religious life and vocations and to show that the SVD is welcoming to anyone interested in joining or at least getting to know about our mission, who we are and about our mission in 79 countries around the world.”
And Fr Yon said the SVD stall at the Ignite Conference attracted plenty of interested visitors.
“Many young people came to our stall and asked about who we are,” he said. “Even a few adults came to me showing appreciation for the works of the SVD, especially in the Aboriginal mission, as they had been to Santa Teresa and Alice Springs where we are in ministry.
“Some young people had not heard of the SVDs, so our stall provided a new awareness for them of the SVD mission worldwide.”
One visitor to the stall expressed thanks to the SVD for providing priests to work in the Brisbane Archdiocese, including Auxiliary Bishop Tim Norton SVD (recently appointed to Broome Diocese).
He said he was also “touched and surprised” by a grandfather who had brought his granddaughter to the event and relayed the story of how he had spent time at the SVD’s former Marburg novitiate many years ago while discerning his vocation.
“Even though he didn’t join the SVD, he was grateful that his time with the SVDs in Marburg helped him to find his vocation and how he is proud of his grandchildren,” Fr Yon said.
“These stories are real stories, and we wouldn’t hear them if we were not present there at the conference.”
During the conference, Fr Yon gave out copies of the SVD’s Society Matters magazine as “an invitation to young people to expand their knowledge of mission, especially to inspire them to reach out to the disadvantaged, the poor and marginalised people, through the stories of mission in our magazine”.
“Being at the Ignite Conference was about our presence,” he said.
“It was especially great to spread awareness of our 150th anniversary celebrations this year.
“SVD vocation promotions is about raising an awareness of our mission worldwide and especially in the Australian context, highlighting our local ministries including ministry in multicultural parishes, chaplaincies, formation and the mission among Australia’s First Nations peoples.”
Fr Yon said he was looking forward to taking part in next year’s Youth Ignite Conference, under the theme, ‘the light’, which ties in with the SVD’s Jubilee Year theme of ‘Witnessing to the Light’.
“I am also looking forward to participating in the biggest youth event in Australia in December next year (2025), the Australian Catholic Youth Festival, which will be taking place in Melbourne.”
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Fr Yon welcomes young visitors to the SVD stall at the Ignite Youth conference in Brisbane.
MIDDLE LEFT: Praise and worship was a key element to the youth gathering.
MIDDLE RIGHT: Fr Yon engages with young people visiting the SVD stall to learn more about the life and mission of the Society of the Divine Word.
BOTTOM LEFT: Fr Yon with one of the conferences headline praise and worship leaders, Fr Rob Galea.