The sight of young people lifting their hands in worship at Ignite Youth Conference in Brisbane was enough to move seminarian Gabriel Guillaume to tears. Source: The Catholic Leader.
“Nothing could have prepared me for the joy of watching them encounter the fire of the Holy Spirit and the love of Jesus,” Mr Guillaume, who helped lead 25 young adults from Springfield parish to the September 25–28 gathering at St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane, said.
He was not alone in being struck by the experience.
More than 1300 participants – ranging from primary school students to adults – came from across Australia, as well as New Zealand and Singapore, for four days of music, keynotes, workshops and prayer under the theme The Light.
St Joseph’s School, Stanthorpe principal Andrew Kendall brought a group of Year 10 and 11 students – the only contingent from Toowoomba diocese – and called the event “inspirational”.
“All the students came away inspired and uplifted … (and) building on the success of this conference for the students, later this year the school is sending some of our Year 11s to the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Melbourne,” Mr Kendall said.
Mr Kendall’s daughter and Year 11 student Lillian said she “would recommend students to participate next year”.
“It was a transformative four-days, and I experienced faith and worship in a new and enjoyable way I had never experienced before,” Lillian said.
Survey results show the conference had a tangible impact.
More than 70 per cent of respondents described the experience as “amazing,” 97 per cent said they now felt closer to Jesus and one in five admitted they rarely attended Church before Ignite.
Ignite Youth director Kym Keady announced the 2026 theme would be Ascend, inspired by Isaiah 2:3.
The Brisbane and Sydney Ignite Conferences are hosted and supported by the Archdiocese of Brisbane and the Diocese of Broken Bay
FULL STORY
Tears, joy and faith on fire – Ignite draws 1300 young Catholics (By Selina Venier, The Catholic Leader)
