26 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst Year in Review 2025 In 2025, Youth Ministry across the Diocese of Sandhurst was characterised by growth, hope and a deep commitment to planting seeds, sparking and developing community connections and accompanying young people in their journey with Jesus. The year also marked important moments of transition and renewal within the diocesan Youth Ministry Team. In January, I was appointed as Youth Ministry Team Leader, hoping to bring a renewed energy and focus to youth in the Diocese and the vision of the established Sandhurst Youth Ministry Reference Group to life. In July, the team was blessed and strengthened with the appointment of Jessan Tano as Youth Ministry Officer, expanding the capacity of Sandhurst Youth Ministry (SYM) to support young people, leaders and communities. With the support of Archbishop Shane before his departure to Brisbane, senior chancery leadership, and the Office of Mission and Pastoral Life, Youth Ministry has continued to be closely aligned with the Sandhurst Mission and Pastoral Goals. The strategy of SYM recognises that bringing our young people into relationship with Jesus and with each other needs to move beyond providing programs and events, to walking with young people as they grow in faith, discover belonging, and learn to live as missionary disciples in their everyday lives. Sandhurst Pilgrimage to the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF): One of the most significant moments of the year, and a key opportunity for SYM, was the Sandhurst Pilgrimage to the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Melbourne, starting in late November. The pilgrimage was planned and coordinated with clear intentions that ACYF would be more than a ‘mountain-top’ experience for a delegation of youth. The commitment to the Pilgrimage was part of the much wider vision for youth ministry to form young disciples, to foster a sense of belonging and to nurture the spiritual growth of each person. From the start of planning, we wanted to ensure genuine connection and relationship through small groups; intentional formation in the lead-up, during and following the Festival, and the intention of forming of missionary disciples whose journey towards Jesus would continue on their return to daily life among their peers, in their schools, workplaces, parishes and communities. Coordinated by SYM and led by Fr Junray Rayna, the Pilgrimage included chaplains Fr Jackson Saunders, Fr Adi Indra and Fr Nathan Verallo. Supported through strong partnership and collaboration between the Chancery, Sandhurst Catholic Education Office, schools, parishes and clergy, the pilgrimage reflected a shared commitment to providing young people with deeply formative experiences of faith. In the lead up to the Festival, pilgrims were prepared through resourced formation modules that supported both the formation of small group leaders and the deepening of relationships and connections within small groups; fostering trust, shared reflection and a sense of walking together. In Melbourne, our young people further experienced what it means to be Church together. The experience in Melbourne began with a gathering of the Sandhurst pilgrims at Queen’s College, which set the tone for the rest of the pilgrimage. Our young people sang together, prayed together and reflected together under the energetic guidance of Gen Bryant, the GB Team and pilgrimage leaders. On our second day, we celebrated a beautiful Mass together. The theme of the first Sunday of Advent, ‘Hope’, was perfectly fitting for our journey together. The Junior Common Room at Queen’s College was brimming with hope, and alive with faith as we celebrated the Eucharist. The official events of ACYF kicked off with a pilgrimage walk, and any doubts that the young Church is alive in Australia were quashed. The sheer magnitude of the walking pilgrims was awe-inspiring; a veritable army of faith and hope that stretched over a kilometre. The rain could not dampen the spirit of that crowd, and the small statue of St Carlo Acutis joyfully bobbed up and down along the way. The days that followed offered faith-filled and life-giving Claire Spinelli Team Leader Sandhurst Youth Ministry
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