2 0 1 9 AU S T R A LI A N C AT H O LI C YO U T H F E S T I VA L
‘REBUILD MY CHURCH’ WORDS Jamie O’Brien and Gavin Abraham
T
housands of young Australian Catholics have
Archbishop Costelloe’s opening address drew upon the
been challenged to “go out and rebuild” God’s
exhortation that St Francis of Assisi received 800 years ago
Church on the opening day of the 2019 Australian
and a similar encouragement from Pope Francis in more
Catholic Youth Festival.
recent times.
The opening session of the Festival, which drew 5500
He combined God’s request to St Francis – “Go and rebuild
young people from across Australia, featured a Welcome
my Church, which is falling into ruin” – with Pope Francis’
to Country, high-tempo music, inspirational speakers and
comments at World Youth Day 2016 in Poland.
moments of prayer.
Archbishop Costelloe challenged young people: “Get up off
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, the host of the
your couches, go out and help rebuild my Church. Help it
Festival as the Archbishop of Perth, welcomed pilgrims and
to set out on new and uncharted pathways. Help stop the
encouraged them to bring every part of themselves to the
Church, my Church, from falling into ruin.”
gathering.
Internationally renowned singer-songwriter, Fr Rob Galea
“You are welcome here with your questions, with your
from the Sandhurst Diocese, used the Festival’s opening
hopes, with your dreams. You are welcome here with your
session to invite delegates to be open to the voice of God
doubts and with your fears. You are welcome here with
in their lives.
your hesitations and you’re welcome here with all your
“I pray that throughout this time, as we gather here as a
enthusiasms,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
family, as we gather here as Your people, that You give us
“God is real. Christ is alive. The Church of which you are
the grace to hear You speak,” Fr Galea said.
a part is yearning to help you and to hear you, to teach
“Lord, we don’t want to walk out of this place the same way
you and to learn from you, to challenge you and to be
we walked in. We know that when You speak, our lives,
challenged by you.”
our hearts are changed forever. So Lord, we give You the
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