The 18th National Oblate Youth Encounter started yesterday on the 3rd January in Healesville, VIC with 75 participants from 10 Oblate communities across Australia. Young students from four Oblate colleges, young adults from Oblate parishes, youth leaders, seminarians, Oblate priests and staff have gathered together for another amazing National Oblate Youth Encounter. The theme for this year is taken from the Oblate rule where St Eugene wrote that the Oblate mission is to help people to become human, then Christian, and finally, saints. On our first day, following the initial welcoming, ice-breakers and group discussion, the participants were given the challenge of an ‘Amazing Race’ where teams had to compete in challenges that involved puzzles, riddles and tricky challenges like fishing out marbles from ice-cold water with only your toes. A lot of fun and team-building was had by all.
Our evening started off with Adoration, which included beautiful music from our musicians, a short reflection from Br Josh and all participants praying reverently before the Blessed Sacrament. Fr Christian finished the prayer with benediction, before we moved into our first talk for the event delivered by Alison Whitten, Campus Minister for St Eugene’s College, Burpengary. Alison focused on what makes us human and how our Catholic teaching helps us to understand that as humans we were made in the image of God; God made us in love and for love. Community time that evening allowed our participants to get know each other better, and hopefully restful sleep was had for another big day tomorrow.
Check out the video updates on the Oblate Youth Australia website here.
Check in tomorrow for more news!
