Columban Priests bless the holy water for the Masi Activity. Photo: St Columbans Mission Society.
On Sunday 30th November, the Melbourne Convention Centre was buzzing with high energy, anticipation, and hope as Catholic societies and organisations prepared for the arrival of 6,000 pilgrims to the 2025 Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF). There was music, food, merchandise, and even videogames in the expo centre as organisers created a safe and fun atmosphere for pilgrims to engage with over 100 different booths.
Columban booth activities and promotions for pilgrims to connect, learn, and have fun! Columban co-worker and book-keeper Rita Salama managing the booth at the festival. Photo: St Columbans Mission Society.
The Columban team for ACYF had spent months preparing in the lead up to host an interactive booth with spinning wheels, videos, Bible quizzes, and an assortment of materials that promoted Columban mission. The festival was the pinnacle of a year where the Columban Mission Centre revitalised its School Partnership program through interactive sessions on “Laudato Si – Care for Our Common Home” and “Migrants and Refugees” for students in primary school and secondary colleges throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.
This was an important opportunity to not only share our Columban charism and ministries with the wider Church community, but to also demonstrate that the Columbans are attuned to the spiritual and social needs of young Catholics who may be discerning their call, curiously navigating their faith, or finding themselves at a time where infinite distractions beckon their attention.
Over the course of the festival, thousands of pilgrims stopped by our booth to spin the wheel, take a quiz, or subscribe to the Columban newsletter. Some left with a sweet treat, others a Columban Art calendar or word of wisdom from St Columban, while many young pilgrims also had the opportunity to “Meet a Columban!” Columban priests Patrick, George, and La-Aung (a young priest from Myanmar based in Fiji) spoke with the pilgrims, answered questions, and sometimes even prayed for them.
A number of school teachers stopped by the booth and were particularly interested in the partnership program for 2026. Columban Partnership Coordinator, Mariana Waqa explained that while the themes of Laudato Si and Migrants and Refugees are staple parts of Catholic curriculums in Australia, the Columban sessions were able to link these teachings to real actions taking place in the 15 countries where Columban missionaries live and work. Examples of this include Columban lay missionary Arlene Villahermosa and the Columban gardens in the Philippines, and Columban Fr Dan Harding in Chile, whose ministry works closely with migrants from Venezuela.
The Columban Booth was situated next to the ACYF Justice Activity Centre, where a number of Catholic Organisations facilitated 45-minute activities such as colouring Christmas cards and making bracelets. The Columban team facilitated twice over two days and presented to a group of lively young pilgrims, which included a large contingent of Pacific Island youth from around Australia. Pilgrims were invited onto Fijian mats with a tanoa bowl at the centre carrying holy water, which the three Columban fathers blessed, so the pilgrims could begin their reflection time with the sign of the cross.
Images of the ecological crisis from around Oceania and countries where Columbans reside were laid around the mat and pilgrims asked to reflect on them and come up with a message of hope they would give to Catholic youth living on the front lines of vulnerable communities as such. Columban JPIC Coordinator for Fiji, Noa Tuivunilagi brought with him a traditional Masi bark cloth from the island of Vatulele (West of Viti Levu in Fiji), a place famous for their motif printing and patterns. Pilgrims moved in groups from the mats to the masi where they wrote their messages of hope and printed creation inspired motifs using paint made from mangrove trees in Fiji and mixed with local charcoal powder.
Columban Fr Patrick McInerney and Columban Mission Centre CEO Maha Shawky with Bishop of the Parramatta Diocese, Most Rev. Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv in front of the Columban booth. Photo: St Columbans Mission Society.
It was the first time for all pilgrims, including those with Pacific Island heritage, to partake in this ancient and indigenous tradition that is still practiced in countries like Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga (where “masi” is known as “tapa”). Messages of Christian solidarity and hope were combined with Biblical scriptures as the pilgrims printed onto the masi using stencils to shape their motifs. The naturally sourced items, the words of comfort and friendship, along with the willingness to respond to the struggle of their peers living in affected communities culminated in meaningful exchanges amongst the pilgrims.
The 2025 Australian Catholic Youth Festival was an amazing event because it put into perspective the breadth of the Church and the ways faith can be actioned to not only evangelise but to share the teachings and Good News of Jesus Christ through creative avenues that grasp both the attention and heart of future generations of the Church. The Columban team’s effort to interact with pilgrims through the booth activities and the ACYF Justice Centre demonstrates an ongoing commitment towards creating safe, innovative, and educational spaces for children and youth to connect with Church mission, teachings, values, and spirituality.
Adi Mariana Waqa is the Regional Partnership Coordinator at St Columbans, Essendon.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
