Few events seamlessly blend cutting-edge VR technology with the timeless thrill of door prize giveaways—yet that was Purpose Fest, a vibrant celebration of young Catholic life held on 2 July at Rosebank College in Sydney’s Five Dock.
The event drew more than 1,100 attendees from across the city for a day filled with fun, faith, formation, and community.
Organised by the Sydney Catholic Youth team within the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, Purpose Fest fused the future with tradition.
It featured a world-first: a virtual reality experience that immersed students and young adults in the faith journey of Blessed Carlo Acutis, fostering friendship and community through live music, engaging talks, faith experiences, and a variety of activities designed to deepen participants’ spiritual journeys.
Faith-based market stalls, live podcasts, food trucks, basketball and weightlifting challenges created a true festival atmosphere of faith and fellowship.
“The Catholic community is alive. It’s growing and definitely on fire,” said Jack Tesoriero from Panania, attending with his friend Lily Peregrina, who was visiting for the first time.
“My friends said how cool it was. I saw it on Instagram, and I’m having the time of my life,” she added.
It was Daniel McMurray’s first experience at a Purpose event too.
“It’s just a great opportunity for Catholic fellowship. It’s very inspiring to see us all here, all in the name of God, exploring our faith and feeling solidarity,” he said.
The day kicked off with a lively morning session attended by more than 800 students, who sang and danced as the Rosebank College auditorium bounced to the energy of a live band. A keynote talk from Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP and a recorded Q&A podcast session with His Grace followed, setting an energised and engaging tone for the day.
Next, keynote speaker Fr Greg Morgan from St Catherine Labouré in Gymea addressed the urgent issues of attention and time in the digital age.
Fr Morgan emphasised the importance of reclaiming control over one’s focus, highlighting how the modern obsession with screens hampers the discovery of the profound truth and beauty of the Eucharist—the Real Presence of Christ.
His talk resonated deeply with attendees, many of whom expressed a renewed understanding of how to guard themselves against the distractions of contemporary life.
In the evening, the focus shifted to hope and reflection, featuring a compelling talk from Fr Gregory Pine OP, a renowned Dominican priest, theologian, and author from the Thomistic Institute in the United States.
Arriving only hours earlier from overseas, Fr Pine captivated the audience with his humour and insights on the virtue of hope.
“Hope brings us to God with certainty and confidence that he will fulfill his promises – not vaguely or abstractly, but concretely,” he explained. “Hope is what gives us the certainty and confidence to believe that these promises are for us.”
Fr Pine emphasised that hope is not mere wishful thinking but a transformative theological virtue. It provides concrete assurance of God’s promises, even amid the scepticism many young people feel when faced with seemingly impossible spiritual claims.
“One way to describe hope is that the hopeful person is someone who is always on the way,” he said. This metaphor of being “on the way” resonated particularly with young audiences, portraying Christian life as an active journey rather than passive waiting.
He linked hope to God’s omnipotence and mercy, assuring that, “His promises are for us despite our faults.”
He also shared four acts from the church’s Handbook of Indulgences as practical steps to nurture a prayerful life: “Thirty minutes of prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, 30 minutes of reading Sacred Scripture, making the Stations of the Cross in a church or oratory, and reciting the Rosary.”
“Let love lead you,” he advised, “because the end is God.” His talk ultimately presented Catholicism not as a burdensome obligation but as a path of freedom guided by love.
Jamie Alam from St Kevin’s parish in Eastwood, shared that he “took away a lot of hope, strength, and courage to be the best version of myself and to pray more.”
He resonated with the idea that faith shouldn’t be a burden of obligations. Jamie shared that he learned he can “live out my faith with others” and “always turn back to Jesus.”
The evening concluded with a lively Q&A session hosted by Sr Anastasia Reeves OP, featuring Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP and Fr Gregory Pine OP.
This allowed young people to engage directly with their faith leaders on topics such as prayer, maintaining “faith and hope,” and engaging with Christ during Eucharistic adoration.
On the topic of adoration, Archbishop Anthony shared a touching example of his grandparents, “who would sit together in old age without saying a word – they were completely in love with each other.”
“I think you get something like that in [Eucharistic] adoration,” he said. “You look at God, and God looks at you—that’s enough. In that moment, you become like my grandparents— total love and trust.”
This insight smoothly segued into a profound hour of Eucharistic adoration, where participants gathered in hushed silence to spend time in prayer in the presence of Jesus.
It was a moment that encapsulated the essence of Purpose Fest: faith, formation, and fraternity united in Christ.
