ADELAIDE 2015

3-5 DECEMBERAustralian Catholic Youth Festival 2015

Adelaide Convention Centre, December 3-5

Media opportunities

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is a unique and contemporary celebration which includes concerts, workshops, social events, forums and worship.

Over the three days of the festival there will be performances by international music artists and presentations by high profile presenters and speakers from Australia and overseas. Church leaders, including 16 Catholic bishops, will also attend the event.

Media wishing to cover any aspects of the festival will need to obtain a media pass from the registration desk.

Media opportunities include:

Thursday December 31.30-3.30pm: Opening plenary (featuring opening by Governor of SA Hieu Van Le and Vicar General Father Philip Marshall)

Friday December 49.30am: After attending 8.30am Mass in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Wakefield St, young South Australian Catholics will gather in Mary MacKillop Plaza (on the eastern side of Victoria Square) and process down King William Street to the Convention Centre in their colourful festival t-shirts.

11am-2pm: Laura Cassai, Master Chef 2014 runner-up will be at the Caritas stall in the INcounter Expo.

12pm Serving the Common Good: Political leader panel – Past and present state and local Catholic politicians will form a panel to discuss their motivation in choosing a vocation to serve the common good and society. Panellists: Greg Crafter, former ALP politician and Education Minister; Dr Rachele Tullio, councillor with the Charles Sturt Council; Rev Fr Michael Tate AO, legal academic and former ALP politician who later became an ambassador to the Holy See; Senator Jo Lindgren, Liberal Queensland Senator.

1pm – Rising Above the Challenge: Sportsperson panel – Adelaide women’s soccer team captain (Lady Reds) captain Marijana Rajcic, ANZ Championship netballer Maddy Proud (Adelaide Thunderbirds, Australian Under 21 captain), and former AFL footballer Stephen Lawrence (Hawthorn).

Saturday December 512 noon - Multi-Faith Australia: Clanging Symbols or Harmonious Symphony? Multi-Faith Australia panel chaired by Fr Patrick McInerney and Ashleigh Green (Columban Mission Institute); Panellists of young people: Sowaibah Hanifie (Muslim), Josh Nirens and Alex Knopoff (Jewish), Miriam Tanios (Orthodox Christian), Candace Champion (Aboriginal Christian in Uniting Church), Maverick Deleon (Catholic), Nadine Levy (Buddhist) and Quddus Pourshafie (Baha'i).

7pm – Closing Mass at the Adelaide Convention Centre

All three days – live music on the ‘river stage’, INcounter expo featuring 60 exhibitors from a diverse range of Catholic organisations with interactive stalls and demonstrations. There is also a life-sized human foosball table, acoustic performances and a chill-out space in the expo.

Speakers, presenters and performers will be available for interview through Jenny Brinkworth – they include:

Steve Angrisano – the Texan-born guitarist, musician and composer is one of the highest selling Catholic musicians and has performed at eight World Youth Days, several national Catholic youth conferences in the United States and 14 Catholic gatherings in Los Angeles attracting 25,000 youth each time.

Fr Morgan Batt – the Brisbane priest serves as a chaplain in the ADF with tours of duty in the Middle East and Timor. He is a recognised international mountaineer, having climbed Mt Everest and five of the seven continental summits. His aim is to climb the highest peak of every country and major territory in the world; he has already completed 126 of the 230 peaks.

Sam Clear – Between 2006 and 2008 Sam walked the face of the earth, literally. After 15,600km on foot and 568 days of bone-jarring adventure, Sam speaks about his action-packed journey.

Fr Chris Eaton (aka the Rapping Priest) – from the Missionaries of God’s Love priests and brothers.

Jason Evert – the best-selling author of ten books has travelled to six continents to bring the message of chastity to more than one million people over the past 15 years. Topics include Love or Lust and How to save your marriage before meeting your spouse.

Fr Rob Galea – Originally from Malta, he is a singer and songwriter with an international fan base and recently won his way through the first round of the X Factor but decided to pull out because of his vocation commitments.

Gary and Natasha Pinto – Gary is an Aria Award winning and multi platinum recording artist and X Factor vocal coach. His wife, Natasha, is an international recording artist who has toured with Boyz II Men and Pink.

Sr Hilda Scott OSB – from the Benedictine Abbey at Jamberroo in New South Wales, she is known for her role as mentor to a group of five women in the ABC television series, The Abbey.

Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP - As of 12 November 2014, he serves as the ninth Archbishop of Sydney. He served as the third Bishop of Parramatta from 4 March 2010 to 12 November 2014, having previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney. He was a practicing solicitor with the law firm Clayton Utz prior to joining the Dominicans.

For more speakers and program details, visit www.youthfestival.catholic.org.au.

Media contact: Jenny Brinkworth 0438 727 677 or jbrinkworth@adelaide.catholic.org.au