Year in Review 2022 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst 23 Sandhurst Diocese Reports Ruth Lawlor Coordinator Sandhurst Youth Ministry These days continue to be a collaborative project between CES Ltd, SYM and FRG Ministry, providing a chance for each to contribute their different gifts and talents to the student experience. This year also saw the Ablaze experience extended through a professional development session for Catholic teachers in both venues. Familiarisation Tour of Lisbon, Portugal for World Youth Day 2023 Next year marks the return of the international World Youth Day gathering in Lisbon, Portugal. A pilgrimage of young adults, 18- to 35-year-olds, will travel to Lisbon from Sandhurst. This year has involved laying the groundwork for this pilgrimage, with significant planning taking place in partnership with the travel company, Harvest Journeys. As part of this planning, I was able to attend an Australian Group Leaders’ Familiarisation Tour to Portugal in September. This tour provided opportunities to visit the different locations connected with the event in 2023, as well as meet with Australian Embassy staff and the World Youth Day coordination team. Participation in this tour has proved to be invaluable and has greatly assisted me when considering accommodation and transport options, to complete risk assessments and finalise an itinerary. During the tour I also visited Fatima, Sintra, and few other small towns and villages near Lisbon. Perhaps most invaluable, though, was simply being present in Portugal to experience the culture firsthand and to better prepare the pilgrims’ journeying there next year. Mission and Pastoral Council Preparation and Consultation Meetings As a member of the Mission and Pastoral Life Team for the Diocese, I have also been given the opportunity this year to cofacilitate the Preparation and Consultation Meetings across the Diocese. For me, this has felt like a continuation of my involvement in the Plenary Council. I was so pleased to take my experience of listening and discernment, as a member at the Assemblies, and bring it back to share with people in our Diocese. As part of the process, Dr Chris Cotter and I were able to visit ten of the Diocesan Secondary Schools and involve students and staff in the listening and discernment process. Conversations were positive and engaging, with students offering some fantastic insights into their lived experience, hopes for the future and views on the Church. It may come as a surprise to many how similar the emerging themes were in both parish and educational context. Often there was a different way of expressing ideas, but when it came down to it, many of those involved were sharing the same thoughts. I have become very aware of the power of going out and gathering with people across the Diocese in many different settings. This has given me a greater insight into how people are experiencing the Church in Sandhurst at this current point in time. The experience of the listening and dialogue process with so many different people continues to fill me with great hope for what is coming next for the Diocese, particularly in the space of Youth Ministry.
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