Guest speakers at last weekend’s 2014 Embrace the Grace (ETG) conference reiterated the words of Pope Francis in calling youth to “be lights of hope” in a world where evil is ever present.
More than 80 young people from across the Archdiocese and beyond gathered in New Norcia from 3 to 7 December to hear local and national speakers discuss this year’s theme, while also enjoying a range of outdoor activities, fellowship, music and liturgy.
The theme of the conference was developed from the message announced by Pope Francis in his homily for the closing Mass of the 2013 World Youth Day.
“Dear brothers and sisters, let us be lights of hope! Let us maintain a positive outlook on reality. Let us encourage the generosity which is typical of the young and help them to work actively in building a better world.”
One of the conference’s keynote speakers, Justine Howard, lecturer in Remedies and Alternative Dispute Resolution at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle, emphasised the need to hope in a God who loves them, stating that “whoever has God lacks nothing”.
“The fact that God desires for us a deep and everlasting relationship with him is unbelievable,” Ms Howard said.
“If we have faith, if we know God is here, if we love God, how can we not set our hope on the living God?”
Ms Howard described how the Eucharist and sacraments strengthen our hope in God, and how through them the Holy Spirit spreads the grace of God to His Holy Church.
“They equip us through grace to live out Christ’s mission in our lives. They give us the strength and protection we need to live out our Christian life,” she said.
Conference attendees also heard the same message from speakers John Kinder, Associate Professor for European Languages and Studies at UWA and Paul Kelly, head of Religious Education at Aquinas College, who also gave practical ways to foster and share this hope in God.
Overseas Student Officer and Academic Skills Counsellor at the JPII Institute for Marriage and Family, Anna Krohn, addressed the theme of the conference by discussing the importance of the Catholic view in a world that embraces a “culture of death”.
“The secular world sees death as an ultimate end but it also sees it as a solution with abortion and euthanasia,” Ms Krohn said.
“The Catholic view is deep and subtle… Are we bacteria on the face of the Earth? Are we just pieces on a game board moving around just to experience it? We are made and called to be a type of person.”
Unique to ETG and relevant to its theme was the greater importance placed on mental health.
Amy Coombe, a life coach, was invited to educate those attending on the signs of mental illness and how to be mentally healthy. Additionally, a clinical psychologist was on hand to support the participants with any queries or issues.
Attendees celebrated the conclusion of the conference at a dinner dance conducted on-site by conference organisers, the Respect Life Office and Catholic Youth Ministry.
ETG officially ended on Sunday, 7 December with a Mass at Abbey Church which was con-celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Fr Brennan Sia and Fr Christopher Lim.