A new video highlighting the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) features some local talent from the Diocese of Parramatta. Sebastian Duhau from St Andrew the Apostle Catholic Parish, Marayong is one of the selected Youth Ambassadors for the festival. The University of Sydney student, also works as a Youth Minister at De La Salle College, Ashfield and plays saxophone in Catholic Youth Parramatta’s Lifted Band.
The video has already reached 7,000 views on Facebook and explains what happens at the festival and can be used to present in parishes, schools and youth groups. It has received strong and positive feedback, with some schools reporting that students spontaneously “cheered and applauded” when shown at school assemblies. Registrations for the festival have reached over 12,000 people and are within reach of the 15,000 target.
The purpose of the youth festival is to:
“Provide a high-quality formative and experiential opportunity for young Catholics to encounter Jesus Christ, in the context of the Catholic Church in Australia; Listen to and discuss the issues and challenges in the lives of young Catholics in Australia; Evangelise young people and empower them to be evangelisers; Provide young people with local examples and connections of vocations, social action, liturgy and prayer, catholic music and catechesis.”
The festival will take begin December 7 at Sydney Olympic Park and will finish with a Pilgrimage across Sydney with an outdoor Mass open to the public at the Domain on Saturday December 9.
Watch the video here.
The ACYF registration process can be completed on mobile or tablet devices. Alternatively, groups and individuals can register online at, www.acyf.org.au. For further information, contact James Camden, Director – Catholic Youth Parramatta – on jcamden@parra.catholic.org.au or (02) 8838 3428.
This article is part of a series of profiles on members of the Diocese of Parramatta who have been nominated to help prepare for the ACYF. To read other profiles and learn more about the ACYF, click here.
