News
NETworks Issue 3 2022
In this issue: Renewing the Call for Apostles and Disciples · Ignite Conference · “The Moment” · Q+A on Servant Leadership · Team Stories · NET Alumni: Salt of the Earth
FORMING APOSTLES FOR A NEW GENERATION
OUR APOSTOLIC MOMENT
We live in a new era, a new age in the life of the Church – we are in a new apostolic moment. Calling our time “Apostolic” touches on two meanings. Firstly, it refers us back to the early days of the Church when the life and teaching of Jesus were fresh, and a counterculture developed. Secondly, to be apostolic points to the Church’s deepest identity which is to evangelise. Missionaries always have an apostolic mindset; they are always a disciple and then apostolic in their ministry. We no longer need to “send out” missionaries to a distant place; we are surrounded by a mission field. At all times and in all ages, every Christian is called to be a missionary and needs a missionary strategy. This is certainly true of this moment in history.
In the interactions that I have had with many people in roles of Church leadership around Australia and New Zealand, there is certainly an awareness of the need for missionary formation and action. These leaders are developing an apostolic mission strategy and are inviting NET Ministries to be part of their strategic mission and vision for their youth and young adults.
We currently have concrete requests for eight teams across Australia and New Zealand. We are trusting in God and moving towards filling all eight teams with dedicated missionaries that share this vision of a new apostolic moment. Please pray with us for the young men and women that see a need and experience a real call to do something about it. This ‘something’ is to share the authentic message of the Gospel witnessed to by the experience of Jesus in their lives. It’s through this peer with peer charism that we have developed our teams and their ministry. We have learned that young people meet and encounter God in a different way at different stages of their lives. For our mission to youth and young adult evangelisation to be effective, it needs to be set in an environment that is accessible and where young people can relate and respond. Our young people are responding, and will continue to respond. We know this; we see it year after year as they give of themselves in the most extraordinary ways trusting that the Holy Spirit will strengthen and equip them for this mission.
As our supporters, stakeholders and benefactors, you know this and continue to support this graced mission. We are very grateful for you as you accompany this mission to young people in ever expanding areas. Thank you. We look forward to seeing many of you at NET Ministries’ Annual Fundraising Dinner on October 13 in Brisbane.
Peace,
Mark Lysaght
Executive Director Australia & New Zealand
RENEWING THE CALL FOR DISCIPLES AND
APOSTLES
In 2001, Bishop Michael Putney (Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane and later Bishop of Townsville) encouraged the 40 new members of the National Evangelisation Teams “to be apostles who shared their experience of Jesus Christ – who he is, what he said, his very vision and life – so that others may become followers of Jesus.” At the same time, he reminded the teams that the apostles were drawn from those disciples of Jesus who had spent a great deal of time following him and coming to know him intimately. The apostle must never lose sight of what it is to be a disciple, one who remains in an intimate relationship with Jesus and imitates him not only in actions but in the journey to the heart of God. He emphasised that this ebb and flow between the roles of disciple and apostle is critical for a healthy Christian life.
With these words, Bishop Michael reminded the NET teams of the radical challenge that was at the heart of NET’s very existence. NET Ministries began with a vision to form young adults into apostles and for those apostles to go out and share their faith with their peers.. This was one of the great hopes of the Second Vatican Council where the Church Fathers stated:
“Young people exert a very substantial influence on modern society… They themselves ought to become the prime and direct apostles of youth, exercising the apostolate among themselves and through themselves and reckoning with the social environment in which they live”
Documents of Vatican II (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 12)
The importance of forming new apostles has never been more relevant. The second half of the 20th century was a time of great technological and scientific development and young people were at the forefront becoming highly skilled in many of those areas. NET Ministries was initiated against that backdrop and as a response to Pope Paul VI’s encyclical on Evangelisation in the Modern World where he called for “young people… well trained in faith and prayer… [to] become more and more the apostles of youth.” In our current climate, apostles are still needed. Young men and women are still being called to surrender to Christ, embrace his good news and share that good news with their peers. They are eager to witness to their peers about how life is transformed through an encounter with Jesus Christ and the decision to follow Jesus in their day to day life. The role of the staff at NET Ministries is to help these young adults respond to their baptismal call to follow Jesus Christ as his disciples and be willing to go forth as apostles of a new generation.
Shayne Bennett
Founding Executive Director NET Ministries
IGNITE CONFERENCE
The long weekend of September 22nd to 25th will remain etched in the lives of more than a thousand youth and young adults as the Ignite Conference in Brisbane powered on to full steam ahead after some years of interruption by Covid 19. NET Ministries, together with the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Australian Catholic University, Vocation Brisbane and a number of others, have partnered with Ignite Youth to support this event which Archbishop Mark Coleridge described as playing a “major part” in the faith development of this country.
They were not about to be disappointed as the conference kicked into gear with dynamic rallies, keynote presentations, Mass and Reconciliation, workshops as well as lots of games and fun. This year, Ignite had a change of venue moving to St. Laurence’s College South Brisbane, where the conference was welcomed by Chris Leadbetter, Principal of the College. The venue was perfect, allowing plenty of space for the 1200 participants to spread themselves around as well as the 2000 seat auditorium which was the site of all the main Rallies.
NET Ministries contributed to the conference program through the talented staff, Darwin NET team and NET alumni who took up roles as MC’s, keynote and workshop presenters, musicians as well as any other volunteer roles that came their way. It was a unique opportunity to be among so many young people who were at all different stages of their faith. Having heard about the experience from their friends some young people just wanted to “come and see”.
"THE MOMENT"
A conference like Ignite will always have some drama as the unexpected nature of events unfold. This Ignite was no different. When the holiday was declared for the National Day of Mourning for the passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second, the students attending from Lismore Schools realised they could not travel on the Thursday but needed to delay until Friday morning. This was not a small operation as it involved more than 270 high schoolers. In usual form, the Lismore Catholic Education Office handled the situation well and got the students to the conference in time for the Mass with Archbishop Mark Coleridge on Friday. It was a reminder of the commitment of Cath. Ed. Offices, teachers, youth group leaders, priests and parents who made a tremendous commitment to encourage the faith development of this youthful church. It is also important to recognise the commitment of Archbishop Coleridge who, together with his predecessor (Archbishop John Bathersby) has been present at each of the Ignite Conferences both to celebrate the Mass and to teach on the Scriptures. Another regular visitor is Bishop Michael McCarthy from Rockhampton who came to support his group who had travelled down for the weekend and to lead the conference in a time of Eucharistic Adoration.
It is often said that the sacrament of Reconciliation is dying out. Nothing could be further from the truth in the experience of Ignite. Priests came from across Brisbane to support the priest participants in being available for Reconciliation. Year after year, young people tell the story of returning to Reconciliation for the first time since they first received the sacrament and what an amazing blessing it was during the conference.
As the conference drew to a close, the young people gave testimony to their special “moments” of encounter with God and with one another. For all of this, NET Ministries gives thanks to God for the opportunity to support this great initiative and to share important moments on the journey of faith with young people from across the nation. It’s now time to pack it all up and get ready to do it all over again next weekend in Sydney.
Q+A ON SERVANT LEADERSHIP
Q. Renée, why has NET chosen the Servant Leadership Model for training NET Teams?
The core reason NET has chosen to adopt this model of leadership is due to the way it imitates the life and leadership of Jesus portrayed in scripture. Matthew 20:24 (NIV) says,
“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
This scripture captures the hope that a desire to lead would emerge from a desire to serve others, rather than from a desire for power or lording over others. A heart for service, places the other, their growth and well-being as the highest priority. This can be a countercultural leadership in today’s society which has such an emphasis on personal success and advancement. Servant leadership challenges us to continue to place others before ourselves, being willing to genuinely listen and build community with those that we lead. At NET Ministries, our hope is that our teams would be a place where our volunteers would thrive and be able to share their hope and life with all they meet. This type of culture does not happen by accident. It takes an intentional commitment to love and serve the people around you, in the big and small ways. This is why we have chosen to adopt and develop the servant leadership model; so we are all intentionally trying to grow in the ways we can better love and lead others.
Renée Doyle
Renée is a wife and mother of 4 children. She has been working with NET Ministries for 6 years with a particular focus on leadership training. She is currently completing her Master of Leadership Degree at Deakin University.
Q. What is new about the focus on leadership formation?
NET has always placed an emphasis on leadership, as living in community and operating in teams for ten months is an excellent training ground for our missionaries to grow in learning how to interact and care for different personalities as well as to grow in self-awareness. I’m sure many of our volunteers would agree that they learnt a lot about themselves and others during their time with NET. What is different about this new focus on leadership formation is the way we support and equip our teams with the skills and tools that are necessary to become effective leaders, not just for their time with NET, but for the many places and spheres of influence where they will be called to in the future. There is a great need in the Church and the world for leaders today, especially those who are willing to go beyond themselves and genuinely put the needs of others first and support their growth and development.
Q. What are the outcomes you are hoping for?
NET Ministries has long held a core purpose of forming new apostles. For over three decades now, we have witnessed alumni take up roles of influence, with a genuine heart to make a lasting impact. Whether it be in the Church, a corporate office, political landscape, in the classroom or through raising their families, these leaders have lived their call to leadership with the Spirit of the Gospel. We believe that this call to form new apostles is more important now than ever and we want to empower and equip our incredible volunteers, who already possess a heart of service and mission, to respond to the mission of leadership, wherever it may take them.
TEAM STORIES
Talia Yates
Darwin Team 2022
I’ve never really seen myself as a leader. As an introvert and someone who thrives off looking to those around me for guidance, I’ve always seen myself as more of a follower, and I was very comfortable in that identity. However, being on mission this year, I’ve had to step into being a leader in ways that I never would have thought I was capable. Joining NET, with no prior youth ministry experience, was a nerve-wracking and challenging decision for me. However, I have been continually reminded this year that sometimes God picks the people with nothing, because he knows they will have to rely on him. This has certainly been the case for me! Through leaning into God for guidance, I’ve led small groups, games, activities and given talks. These experiences have been opportunities for me to see that leadership can come in many forms, and it ultimately comes down to apostleship. I have been sent out on this mission to share with young people the role of faith in my life. I now understand just how important it is to lead them to Christ, and I have been so blessed to experience the purpose that brings to my life. I’ve learnt that in being an apostle, it doesn’t mean that I’m not still a disciple. I can lead, and simultaneously learn from those around me each day.
Eric Diputado
Hamilton, NZ Team
In 2020 I felt the call to leave behind my life in New Zealand to pursue a crazy radical adventure. The invitation to do a year of mission with NET came up so unexpectedly for me. I was happy where I was at and had achieved a great deal, but I knew deep down that I wasn’t content. So when this invitation came, despite how scary it seemed, I said yes and never looked back. At the time, I had no idea what exactly that would mean for me, but I knew that there was this tug in my heart to walk completely by faith into this unknown.
If I had to sum up my two years of mission with NET, I would describe it is an adventure, a chronicle, and a turning point. I discovered so many truths about the world and its people, and about myself and my faith. I experienced so many beautiful moments and was able to see the wonder of creation. I met countless unique people and heard their stories. I grew so much as I pushed constantly past my limits and gave myself to discomfort and vulnerability. I watched my faith changing how I engaged with my surroundings, and witnessed the impact that I had on the lives of those that I encountered.
Each one of us have this inherent desire for greatness. Each and every single one of us has the potential to completely change the game. Jesus wants to bring that out in you. So don’t be afraid, say YES and let him lead you there.
NET ALUMNI SALT OF THE EARTH
Dr. Jiwon Lah-Youn
I want a world sprinkled with salt of the earth people. I want to see the Catholic men and women of today become the apostles Jesus needs who will respond to the cries of their context.
We need to be able to hear the cries of the poor, we need to be skilled enough to answer them. We need to hold the bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other, to be the salt flake willing to season their specific and individual place in the world with the Good News and the loving mercy of our God. NET was not the first place I held a bible, but it was the fertile ground that reminded me that I am and forever will be a missionary.
It’s this missionary mindset that I believe propels NET alumni to understand that their lives have a purpose, and that purpose is simply to look upwards and outwards to the eternal more. Expressed authentically in a profession, it leaves nothing ordinary about day job working hours. I can think of a million problems I can’t solve or contribute towards because I am not trained to know how. The ones I am able to address do ask for surrender and trust - two truly typical netter qualities.
God called me out of medical school into a year of mission, surrender and prayer. Today my patients and the people I work with are far better off for that year than any lecture I sat in pre or post NET ministries. Today my decisions about the kind of leader I am, and what kind of doctor the world needs me to be, are informed by that prescribed year of a life lived in service. I can’t thank NET enough for teaching me to pray. every. day.
The mission exists outside of NET and continues far from the borders of youth ministry, university life or parish involvement. The value of apostolic professionals and leaders who are witnesses in our society cannot be missed. My only hope is that the ranks grow and that they are seen and heard in every corner of the earth.
Can you help us transform the lives of young Australians and rebuild the church?
As always, please pray for us as we seek to fulfill our mission. We hope to see young hearts transformed as they encounter Jesus. That's why we exist. Thank you for your generosity.