The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is delighted to announce that registration capacity has been reached for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF). More than 6,000 people from across Australia will attend the Festival, which will take place from Sunday 30 November to Tuesday 2 December 2025 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC).
Thousands of young Catholics will journey from every corner of the country, accompanied by their leaders, Bishops, clergy and religious. They will be joined by keynote speakers, workshop presenters, musicians, over 200 volunteers and more than 100 exhibitors – all contributing to what promises to be a vibrant and joyful experience of the Church in Australia.
With registrations now at capacity and interest remaining at a high level, a waitlist has been established for those still hoping to attend. Expressions of interest can be made via the following form: www.bit.ly/ACYFWaitlist. Festival organisers will contact interested parties if places become available.
With less than a month to go to the Festival, preparations continue in earnest – not only for the Festival organisers but also for the schools, parishes and ecclesial communities bringing young pilgrims to the Festival.
A pilgrim formation guide, inspirited by Festival theme: Pilgrims of Hope has been developed to support groups in their practical and spiritual preparations. The guide is available online at: www.acyf.org.au/resources.
In addition, online briefing sessions for group coordinators will be held in the lead up to the Festival. Group organisers can register their interest by contacting the ACYF office at: acyf@cam.org.au.
A dedicated ACYF event app will be released shortly before the Festival, featuring the full schedule of plenary sessions, workshops, speakers, exhibitors and key event information.
Melbourne’s Archbishop Peter A Comensoli expressed his joy at the strong response and encouraged pilgrims to enter into their preparations with faith and anticipation. “After many months of planning, it is with great joy that we have reached registration capacity. We are thrilled to welcome pilgrims from all over Australia to Melbourne for the Festival.
“I encourage all pilgrims to begin their preparations now. It is no accident that you are attending this Festival. God has something wonderful in store for each of you. Spend some time with him in prayer and open your hearts to what he wants to do – in you and for you. And know that you are not alone – the Church walks with you, prays for you and believes in you.” For further details, including the Festival program, please visit: www.acyf.org.au.
ENDS
