As we begin the season of Advent, a time of prayer and preparation for Christmas, we also turn our attention to the hope-filled activities within our young church community.
From key events like The Send and the Young Catholic Leader programme to growing engagement through social media, there’s much to celebrate in the vibrancy and mission of our young people!
As we begin the season of Advent, which also marks the end of the liturgical year, we change tack and look ahead. Advent, of course, is a time of prayer and preparation for the great celebration of Christmas!
The first candle we light on our Advent wreath, the prophecy candle, represents hope. Hope is both in what is and what is to come. As Christians, we know there is no such thing as the absence of hope. Even at the Cross, hope was present. We are a people of expectant hope!
So, what can we be hopeful about in the young church space? What is happening in young church?
From 22-24 November, groups from Palmerston North and Whanganui attended The Send, a missional reawakening and re-energising of our call to discipleship. Meanwhile, other young people participated in the Divine Renovation Open House in New Plymouth, continuing to embrace the synodal way of renewal.
We are also preparing for our annual Young Catholic Leader programme, which invests in the special character leaders of Year 12. This year, nearly 80 young participants and leaders from our schools will take part in this important training!
Hearts Aflame Summer School is fully booked again!
We have groups from across the diocese registered for LifeTeen Summer Camp in mid-January!
And similarly, groups from the diocese are coming together for Festival One, New Zealand’s largest Christian music festival. This is a fantastic opportunity to grow and encourage our young musicians to serve in our schools and parishes.
There is so much happening in young church! It is alive and vibrant! Let us be excited to be on mission together, boldly proclaiming that Christ is alive and that we are His hope-filled disciples.
Please continue to invest in our young people, to pray for them, and to be inspiring witnesses to them. Together, we will keep the story of hope alive in a world that so desperately needs it!
Nick Wilson
Diocesan Young Catholics Team Leader
The Send 2024
The Send exists to mobilise and activate a generation into their missional and evangelistic calling.
Born out of the prayer movement The Call, it emerged after a catalytic gathering called Azusa Now. Following this event, a collaboration of leaders came together to establish The Send. From the first gathering at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, it became clear that this was not merely an event but the beginning of a movement. A generation was ready to shift from inaction to embracing a missional lifestyle.
Over the years, The Send has filled stadiums and arenas in Kansas City, Brazil, and Norway, resulting in tens of thousands of people committing to take missional action. In New Zealand, The Send NZ was held at Mystery Creek in Hamilton on November 23-24, drawing an attendance of 5,000 people, including groups from Whanganui and Palmerston North.
Unfortunately, the event coincided with the Divine Renovation Open House in New Plymouth, a significant gathering in our diocese focused on parish renewal. Nevertheless, both events underscore the importance of being active in our missional calling—a critical aspect of faith community renewal. Bishop John’s commitment to this mission as the shepherd of our diocese reflects its importance.
As a diocese, we must embrace the spirit of Kotahitanga (unity) to build the Kingdom of God together as a community of disciples. By making Jesus known and loved, we fulfil His commission in Matthew 28: to go out, baptise, and bring people into life in the Kingdom. After all, the work of the Kingdom is the very reason the Church exists.
Let us, therefore, commit to renewal and reinvigoration as we share the greatest love the world has ever known!
Stay Connected with our Young Church Social Media channels
In response to the synodal data from our diocese, and in consultation with Bishop John, the Diocesan Youth Office has launched the PN Diocese Rainbow Catholics Facebook group.
This group serves as a forum for the Rainbow Catholic community and its allies in the Diocese of Palmerston North to connect and engage with one another. It provides a safe space for discussion, reflection, and dialogue on issues relating to the Catholic Church and the Rainbow community.
The synodal data can be viewed here:
Additionally, the Diocesan Youth Office oversees several other social media pages to support various ministries:
Diocesan Young Catholics
This page serves as a hub for diocesan-wide updates, keeping followers informed about everything happening in the young church community.
Diocesan Young Marrieds
A page dedicated to supporting and encouraging married couples in their vocation. It offers insights into commitment, tips for growing in marriage, and light-hearted anecdotes to bring joy to the decision to love for a lifetime.
PN Diocese Young Family Ministry
This page provides resources and information to support parents as the primary educators of faith. It highlights the role of the family as the kohanga (nest) where children thrive and grow in faith.
PN Diocese Catholic Young Church Ministers
A group specifically for those engaged in leading young church ministries. It offers resources, updates, and links to activities within the diocese and beyond.
These pages, like other Church agencies such as Caritas, the Catholic Enquiry Centre, the NZ Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interfaith Relations, and the NZCBC, are essential tools for informing and inspiring missional action within the Church.
Most of our parishes also maintain Facebook pages, and every youth group has its own social media presence. These platforms are valuable vehicles of communication, helping us stay connected and engaged with what’s happening across the diocese.