Australian Catholic Youth Festival 2025
The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is a national gathering of Catholic young people established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. ACYF a powerful experience for young people, was a biennial festival before the Covid-19 Pandemic, held in Perth in 2019. This year the festival returns and is being held in Melbourne from November 30 – December 2, 2025
As the largest Catholic gathering in Australia, the ACYF promotes and engages the life and voice of young Catholics, equipping them to live out their faith in the world. Australia’s premier gathering for young Catholics, the Australian Catholic Youth Festival, will conclude the Church’s celebration of the international Jubilee Year in December 2025.
ACYF is a national gathering of Catholic young people, established by the Australian Bishops more than a decade ago. This three-day event offers young people from across Australia the opportunity to connect, deepen their relationship with Jesus, and be empowered to live their faith in the world. It also provides a unique chance to experience the diversity of the Church in Australia.
The Festival is set to welcome thousands of young Catholics, along with their leaders, bishops, clergy, religious and representatives from ecclesial groups and organisations from across Australia. Together, they will gather in a vibrant, joyful celebration of faith and community.
Bishop Paul will be attending and is looking forward to sharing these days with young people from our diocese. see his message below
Melbourne Festa to open ACYF
Check it out at this link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ2ZvP5CEhX
Key Details:
Participants: Young people in Year 9 – 25 years
Activities: The Festival will feature prayer, Mass, workshops, talks, live concerts, games, justice initiatives, and an interactive expo. Participants will also have opportunities to connect with peers, school and youth groups, Bishops, musicians, and speakers.
Speakers include Cardinal Bychok CSsR, Katie Prejean McGrady, Fr Rob Galea, Sr Mary Grace S.V., Bishop Mark Edwards OMI, Joshua Angrisano, Maggie Craig, Fr Chris Ryan MGL and others. Read their profiles here.
Special Note: Bishop Paul will be attending the event.
We are very appreciative of the sponsorship from the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat Foundation and the Catholic Development Fund which will help to offset the costs of those who are attending from the Ballarat Diocese.
Ballarat Diocese Youth Ministry
email: youth@ballarat.catholic.org.au
Facebook: Catholic Youth Ministry Ballarat
ACYF 2019 SONG
ACYF Sydney ~ 2017
Around 18,000 young people attended the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in December 2017. The theme of the Festival was Open new horizons for spreading joy. The Festival offered a multitude of ways of expressing Catholic faith in an amazing three-day experience. ACYF 2017 was held at Sydney Olympic Park and other nearby venues.
From the Festival
The Ballarat diocese had a booth at the ACYF Expo based on Amazing Young People of Ballarat and Australia. Flyer here
ACYF 2017 Expo Booth – “Amazing Young People of Ballarat & Australia”
ACYF is hosted by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The idea of hosting a large national festival grew out of Australia’s involvement in World Youth Days and a wish to gather Australia’s Catholic youth together. It exists to provide young people with opportunities to explore and deepen their faith, to be empowered to be agents of change in the world today, and to encounter and celebrate the diversity and vitality of Catholic faith in Australia. It also gives the Bishops of Australia the opportunity to hear and meet the young people of Australia. The first Festival was held in Melbourne in 2013 and the second in Adelaide in 2015. Many young people from Ballarat Diocese, together with Bishop Paul Bird, attended all three events.
ACFY Official Song – Joyful Generation by Tim Hart
ACYF participants were excited to have Matt Maher perform at the Festival