Over the summer, the young Church came alive with leadership, learning, and joyful encounters with Christ.
Young Catholic Leader 2025
Mate atu he tētēkura, ara mai he tētē kura — when the fern frond dies, another grows in its place.
Leaders from the Catholic colleges of the Palmerston North Diocese gathered at Highland Home Christian Camp for a week of servant‑leadership formation. The Young Catholic Leader (YCL) programme was led by committed young adult leaders from across our diocese.
Throughout the week, students focused on 11 keys of leadership in the way of Jesus, designed to guide their attitudes, values and behaviours in their leadership roles within our kura tuarua (secondary schools). Sacramental experiences, prayer, physical challenges, group work, wellness reflections, and personal growth opportunities were just some of the elements that shaped the week.
Our rangatahi shared that the experience was transformative:
• “I am out of my comfort zone and ready for this year of leadership.”
• “I learned a whole lot about real leadership skills.”
• “A life‑changing experience which has changed my perspective.”
In Christus Vivit, Pope Francis reminds us that young people are not only the future of the Church — they are the now of the Church (CV 178). Our rangatahi therefore need our ongoing support and encouragement as members of their faith communities.
We are invited to encourage our young leaders to become the best possible versions of themselves — the people God created them to be. The Church teaches that what it will become in the future depends on the free cooperation of young people with God’s grace. Pope Francis has recently encouraged young people not to be afraid of what God is calling them to.
Let our prayer be that our schools remain places where young people encounter the living God.
A huge thanks to Catholic Charities for their support and to all the leaders who facilitated the programme.
Photo: Grace Carran
LifeTeen Summer Camp 2026
From 10–14 January, youth from New Plymouth, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Napier and Hastings attended LifeTeen Summer Camp at Camp Keswick in beautiful Rotorua.
This is the largest single Catholic youth event in Aotearoa New Zealand, drawing nearly 300 people. A mix of prayer, small‑group work, sessions on sisterhood and brotherhood, messy games, daily Mass, adoration, and mountains of fun made the week an incredible encounter with faith for our young people. Praise and worship rang out across the city, and we were blessed by a surprise visit from +John, who celebrated Mass. +John serves as the Episcopal representative on the NZCBC National Council for Young People.
Within the Palmerston North Diocese, the LifeTeen kaupapa is standard across our five largest parishes, with all our young church ministers well‑versed in LifeTeen ministry. The LifeTeen mantra, “leading teens closer to Christ,” is lived out in every aspect of the week.
Faith truly came alive for these young people, demonstrating that when we invest in their spiritual lives, they thrive. Due to increasing demand, there will be two LifeTeen camps in 2027.
Let us continue to pray for this ministry and for all those who serve within it!
Photo: Taila Burton