On Friday 3 May a group of Year 11 and 12 students went to Avila College in Mount Waverley for the day to hear guest speakers discuss the topic of ‘What is the spirit asking of you?’. The guest speakers were Fr Nicholas Pearce, Sr Maria Joy OP and renowned speaker Matt Fradd. There was also inspirational music from Gen Bryant and her band.
After the talks, we had time to reflect on our role in, and commitment to, the local and global church. Many students participated in dancing and singing, creating a joyful atmosphere. The speakers reminded us that it’s okay to ask questions about your faith.
Here are some student reflections of the experience:
I really appreciated the way Matt Fradd spoke about his conversion to Catholicism in a way that acknowledges a lot of the questions people, especially teenagers, ask. The way he presented himself and his journey really got me excited for my own faith journey. The way the students were speaking made me hopeful for the future and that more people would be coming back to the Catholic faith. This experience has made me more excited to come back to school and share my faith. — Melissa Mathews (Year 11 Green)
I was grateful to have the chance to go to this wonderful day of talks, music and meeting other people from different schools. I found out a lot about the Catholic faith and had the opportunity to reflect on my future. The music really helped create moments of prayer and reflection. It was great to be around other CSYMA students. — Emily Hoiles (Year 11 Gold)
