Connecting with Fijian and Pacific communities from Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Townsville, and meeting youth from Samoa and Tonga, highlighted the breadth of the Church and the potential for intercultural collaboration. - Photo: Noa Tuivunilagi
St Columbans Mission Society was set to have a booth at the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF), held in Melbourne from 31 November to 2 December. I was fortunate to be part of the Columban presence at the gathering, travelling from Fiji alongside Columban Fr. La Aung and joining Columban priests and co-workers from across the Region of Oceania.
Before the festival, I attended a contemplative prayer retreat in Adelaide with the World Christian Community for Meditation (WCCM) of Australia. This experience helped prepare me spiritually for the days ahead, grounding me for what became an energising encounter with young people from all over Australia.
One of the key activities I helped coordinate with Columban co-worker Mariana Waqa was the masi printing experience. The masi (a traditional bark cloth), sourced from the Island of Vatulele in Fiji, embodies a sacred cultural artform upheld by the women of the island. At ACYF, this activity became a creative and reflective space where pilgrims engaged in a talanoa on the climate crisis and the Columbans’ global work in biodiversity conservation. After sharing in this dialogue, they printed designs and messages of hope onto the masi - an act that encouraged personal reflection, intercultural learning, and care for creation.
Adding to this presence, our Oceania Regional Director, Rev. Dr. Patrick McInerney, participated in a panel discussion on interfaith dialogue. His contribution highlighted not only the depth of the Columban commitment to interreligious encounter but also encouraged young Catholics to see themselves as active builders of bridges.
The ACYF was an inspiring environment of faith and community. Connecting with Fijian and Pacific communities from Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Townsville, and meeting youth from Samoa and Tonga, highlighted the breadth of the Church and the potential for intercultural collaboration.
Finally, the ACYF reminded me of the power of youth ministry, in inspiring not the future of the church, but what the church is now. Being an active youth leader back at home in Fiji, I felt renewed hope in the Church, encouraged by the energy and faith of other young people. This experience also reaffirms the value of the Columban Partnership Program, which provides ongoing opportunities for students and young leaders to learn about mission, culture, justice, and care for creation. What we witnessed at ACYF is exactly what the program hopes to nurture throughout the Region of Oceania.
Noa Tuivunilagi, Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Coordinator, Region of Oceania
