Ignite Conference, Brisbane
21 October, 2021
After a very quiet year and a half thanks to Covid, the Ignite Youth team, a Catholic Youth ministry movement with a big vision for renewal in the Church, were ready to shake things up!
Ignite Conference is usually an annual event taking place every September school holidays, but it had a break last year due to Covid. That made the conference this year extra special.
About 700 young people, kids, young adults and young at heart gathered together from all over Queensland to experience 4 days of amazing talks, powerful worship, friendship and fun, all focused around the theme ‘Unleashed’. It was all about being unleashed to live the life that Jesus has in store for us.
Mick Otto coordinated a group of over 45 people from the Rockhampton Diocese to come to Ignite, which included young people from Mackay, Rockhampton, Blackwater, Gladstone, Bundaberg and Anakie. Our diocesan group was the second biggest group attending the conference this year! It was great for the young people from our diocese to get the chance to meet and form friendships with other young Catholics from other parishes in the group.
Laura Otto, Mick’s wife, was blessed to be given the opportunity to present on the mainstage to all the delegates. “I really wanted to present the big questions of life to all who were there, because in our busy daily lives we don’t often have time to ponder the reason for our existence. I shared what I have found is the purpose for life; that we were created for relationships – to live for others, not just for ourselves. But that first and foremost, we were created for relationship with God. And as St Augustine wisely said – We were created for You Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
The whole experience was well worth the effort to get down to Brisbane in Covid times. Many of the young people said that the highlight of the conference was the second night rally, when the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in the midst of everyone, led by our own Bishop Michael. Hundreds of young people had their arms stretched out towards Jesus, with their hearts proclaiming worship to the Lord.
Ignite Conference should give hope to the Church for a bright future to come. The next youth event on the calendar is Summer Camp which is happening on the Sunshine Coast from the 12th to 16th of January 2022. If you’re interested in attending, please contact Mick at youth@rok.catholic.net.au or 0433 897 973.
