By Caroline Smith
Connecting with and sharing your faith can be a thing of joy, as evidenced by a recent retreat in Wattle Grove run by the Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community.
The WA Summer School of Evangelisation – held from 10 to 17 January – drew more than 200 attendees, including 22 from the Indigenous St Martin De Porres Community in Darwin, making it the biggest such event in Australia.
Other summer schools were held in Melbourne, Bathurst and Paterson.
The summer school is an annual event, giving young people between 16 and 35 the opportunity to engage more fully with their Catholic faith and learn how to best share their experience of faith with others.
This year’s theme was Joy, inspired by the Book of Nehemiah verse, “the joy of the Lord is our strength” (8:10), as well as Pope Francis’ writings on the happiness inspired by faith and the Gospel.
Pastoral director Mario Borg said this year’s theme gave participants a special insight into their relationship with God.
“We had a huge focus on the theme from Nehemiah 8:10 – where we looked at how joy comes from an encounter with each of the persons of the Trinity: God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit,” he said.
Other aspects of faith were examined each day through practical seminars and lectures from several well-known speakers, together with an opening Mass by Auxiliary bishop Don Sproxton.
“Bruce Yocum was our international guest speaker, a key figure in the beginning of Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the late 1960s,” Mr Borg said.
“Director of Catholic Marriage and Fertility Services, Derek Boylen gave two seminars on communicating the mercy of God in our relationships. Jane Borg, Principal of Acts 2 College of Mission and Evangelisation, presented a lecture series on the role of virtues in the Christian life.”
Other speakers included Father Daniel Benedetti, Aquinas College teacher Paul Kelly, lecturer Laura Firth, Sister Amy McCabe, and Mr Borg himself.
In the evening, activities took a more creative bent.
“Each night session was animated through praise and worship by the Disciples of Jesus Youth bands, hard-hitting dramas, lay preaching, testimonies and prayer ministry,” Mr Borg said.
The Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community has been running summer schools annually in Australia for 30 years, and in WA for 23 years.