Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) 2025

Thirty-five enthusiastic Padua students, from Year10 -12, were among the 6,000 young people from Australia and Oceania, to participate in the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) which was held from November 30 to December 2 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Some of our participants accepted the kind invitation from St Thomas More Parish priest, Fr Patrick Bradford, to attend the commissioning Mass on Sunday 30th Nov. Following Mass, the parish organised a BBQ for all pilgrims and their families. Before lunch, the ACYF presenter, Sam Clear, met with the young people from the Parish and the Padua pilgrims to give them a ‘taster’ of the festival by sharing his own inspiring faith journey. The pilgrims were then transported into Melbourne to St Patrick’s Cathedral for the launch of the festival, by Archbishop Peter Comensoli. This was followed by the pilgrimage walk, to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, carrying the World Youth Day Cross and Icon of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani.

The ACYF offered opportunities for the pilgrims to attend and participate in workshops, live concerts, Mass, reconciliation, prayer and meditation, expos, forums, justice activity centre, conversations with bishops and games. On two consecutive days, our young Paduans mingled and shared amazing spiritual and friendship experiences with thousands of other young people from all over Australia and Oceania.

In today’s world, our youth are confronted with and exposed to so much darkness and despair, where hopelessness is all too common. Without doubt, the ACYF revealed a much brighter side of life to participants—one they rarely encounter through social media or in their immediate environment. They concluded the festival with a renewed sense of hope, purpose, and meaning, through their encounter with Jesus and their interaction with faith-filled and enthusiastic young people.

The pilgrims were also invited to prepare for World Youth Day 2027 in Korea and the International Eucharistic Congress 2028 in Sydney.

As we prepare ourselves to dive into 2026 with so much joy and faith in the future, may our young Paduans follow Pope Leo’s encouragement to “build networks and friendships” and work together to “build the Kingdom of God locally”. May prayer and service to the most vulnerable be at the forefront of their thoughts and actions in 2026 and beyond.

I take this opportunity to thank all the staff who helped me to volunteer to accompany the pilgrims over the three days, namely Ms Kelly McGurn, Ms Marjorie Canal, Mr Matt Williams, Miss Jessica Connors, Mr Rosario Lobo, Mrs Joanne Parton and Miss Ellis Stanley. I also extend my thanks to Fr Tony Doran for the blessing of the pilgrims and the candles prior to their pilgrimage. A huge thank you to Mrs Kathleen Ronchi, for her unwavering support and assistance in helping me make up the personalised pilgrims’ candles and the ACYF tags for the pilgrims. An amazing support also from Mrs Jane-Ann Whitten with the tags. Thank you to Ms Mo Cromar for her kind support and assistance in the lead to the ACYF. Thank you to Ms Kelly McGurn for all her continuous support and encouragement while preparing for the pilgrimage. Thank you and congratulations to all parents for supporting and encouraging your children on their faith journey. Thank you to everyone who, in one way or another, have helped me to make this pilgrimage possible for our Padua students, to live this unforgettable and life-changing spiritual experience.

The Padua pilgrims are: Rosie McInnes, Amelia Smith, Cooper Hall, Baron Way, Lachlan Turnham, Piper Kaer, Emily Bath, Trudy Reiter, Charlee Dornom, Evie Donnelly, Ollie Tacon, Ana-Lucia Rosenquist, Max Traube, Abby Richards, Ysabella Mendoza, Ava Eastmure, Abbie Brent, Harrison Coyne,  Aj Fitzsimons, Stephan Ognenov, Edith Hickson, Imogen Pentz, Sophie McKenzie-McHarg, Sophia Biasuzzo, Max Nielsen, Aurora Bampton, Lachie Sharpe, Angela Krtalic, Ethan Hour-Lim, Giorgio Tawadrous, Will Doughton, Bryn Oliver, Gabi Inglese, Thomas McInnes, Mikayla Morabito

Congratulations and thank you to all of you for your exemplary behaviour and attitude during all the weeks of preparation prior to, as well as during the ACYF days. You make the Padua Community very proud. We have so much hope in you.

Mr Jean-Paul Antoine
Director of Catholic Identity

Paduan pilgrims’ reflections:

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival was a vibrant and faith-filled experience that brought thousands of young people together to celebrate, learn and grow. For me, it was a chance to step away from everyday routines and immerse myself in an atmosphere of joy, music and deep reflection. I was inspired by speakers who challenged us to live our faith with courage, and I felt a real sense of connection during the liturgies and group discussions. One of the most meaningful parts of the festival was deepening my friendships with other Padua pilgrims and staff. Sharing the experience with them brought us closer together and helped to create memories that will stay with us. In the end, I walked away with a renewed sense of purpose and a stronger appreciation for the community that surrounds and supports me.

Charlee Dornom

Partaking in the ACYF was such an incredibly fulfilling and enjoyable experience. I really loved being able to explore and extend my faith alongside young people my age; those deep into their faith, and those just beginning to explore what it means to be Catholic in modern day. The key highlights of my experience were participating in fascinating workshops, such as "how to hug a porcupine", which dove deep into handling toxic relationships and taking care of yourself through your faith journey. My most profound experience was the final mass, held by Archbishop Comensoli in the exhibition centre, to the thousands of ACYF participants. It was an incredible time for quiet personal reflection, and a beautiful reflection on the magnitude of young people in attendance. I loved being able to discover that worship comes in so many forms, not just attending mass and praying. Being able to dance and have fun with friends, as a form of worshipping God, is something I never imagined I would be able to do. ACYF was such a wonderful time, which I would highly recommend to anyone, no matter how faithful you are.

Rosie McInnes

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