There is a particular energy that settles over Glendalough each January - part prayer, part anticipation, part chaos. This year was no different. Twenty-eight NET Missionaries arrived carrying backpacks, hopes, questions and a shared desire to offer their lives for the Gospel. What unfolded over these weeks of Initial Training was not simply preparation for ministry but the shaping of witnesses.
Our theme scripture set the tone from the very beginning:
“For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20)
These words from the early Church were not treated as a slogan but as a challenge. Before our missionaries can speak, they must first see and hear — encounter Christ, one another and the mission entrusted to them.
2026 INITIAL TRAINING
Training at Iona College’s Glendalough site for the 28th year carries special significance. Generations of NET missionaries have prayed, been challenged, laughed and sent from this same place. There is something deeply grounding about knowing you stand in a long line of young men and women who have said ‘yes’ before you. This continuity matters. It reminds us that mission is never invented from scratch - it is received, lived and handed on.
This year’s formation, like all years, began with a 10-day retreat, including teaching and theological formation, daily Mass, prayer and moments for encounter and reflection. Then we moved to practical skills training, testimony workshops and leadership development. There was also sport, exercise, shared meals, late-night conversations and yes — more than a few enthusiastic water fights. These moments are not incidental. Community is not a by-product of mission; it is the soil in which mission grows.
Throughout the training period, we were blessed by the presence and accompaniment of several priests from across dioceses, many of them NET alumni. We were grateful for the accompaniment, teaching and celebration of the sacraments with Fr Dan Benedetti MGL, Fr Andrew Hogan, Fr Josh Whitehead, Fr Gerard Lai, Fr Nathan Webb, Fr Will Iuliano, and Fr Isaac Falzon,
whose ministry and witness were a source of encouragement and grounding for our missionaries.
We were also grateful for the presence of our former NET Directors - Shayne and Shanelle Bennett and Mark Doyle - who continue to generously offer their wisdom, gifts and support in the formation of new missionaries.
The first days of training were spent not behind closed doors, but in the midst of ministry. Our missionaries joined Ignite Youth at Ignite Summer Camp, serving alongside them with 220 teenagers. This collaboration is more than logistical - it is missional. It places our missionaries immediately among young people, reminding them that formation and mission belong together. The Gospel is learned best when it is lived.
Initial Training 2026 has been joyful, demanding, reverent and real. It has been filled with laughter and sweat, prayer and proclamation. Most importantly, it has been faithful to its purpose: forming missionaries who cannot help but speak - not because they were told to but because they have seen and heard something worth sharing.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS
As training unfolded, clarity emerged around where these missionaries will be sent. In 2026, five teams will be commissioned to serve in Cairns, Darwin, Auckland (New Zealand), Maroochydore (QLD) and Rockhampton. Each location carries its own context, culture and challenges - and each will receive a team formed not just in skills but in prayer, humility and availability.
Soon, these missionaries will be formally sent at the NET Ministries Commissioning Mass, with Archbishop Shane Mackinlay as principal celebrant. This moment of commissioning will mark the Church’s “yes” to what has already been stirred - sending these young people not in their own name but in Christ’s. See below for more details.
Darwin Team (L to R): Amelie, Carlo, Kali, Jacob, Mary-Claire
Rockhampton Team (L to R): Henry, Althea, Lizzie, Chloe, Halle, Reuben
Cairns Team (L to R): Chiara, Colin, Charlotte, Craig, Alannah
Maroochydore Team (L to R): Lourdes, Finn, Arabella, Damian, Jacinda, Kayden
Auckland Team (L to R): TK, Xavier, Liz, Kai, Lou, Justin
10X LEADERSHIP PROGRAM -
A NEW PATH FOR EMERGING LEADERS
The launch of the 10X Leadership Program, in collaboration with Ignite Youth, has been an amazing experience - one that I genuinely believe is meeting a real need in the Church right now.
With 14 participants aged 18–43, coming from NT, NSW, SA and QLD, this inaugural cohort represented a beautiful mix of life stages, ministry contexts and journeys of faith. What united them was a shared desire: to grow as leaders and disciples, even when committing to a full year of ministry isn’t possible at this stage of life.
This launch marked the first of three modules, laying a strong foundation for the journey ahead. From February, participants will continue with 10 months of coaching and leadership webinars, alongside attendance at Ignite Conference in either Sydney or Brisbane, bringing formation, practical leadership skills and lived ministry experience together.
After a time marked by both deep growth and plenty of fun throughout the 10X experience, one participant said, “I am soooooo grateful for this experience and honestly wish more people could do it now.”
Throughout the program, I witnessed participants grow in confidence, courage, and clarity of calling. One shared, “I feel more equipped to evangelise and with full faith in the LORD and His plan for me — to saying YES, and to doing it scared.”
What stood out most was the deep sense of hope and renewal. As another participant shared, "I feel equipped, strengthened, renewed and supported. Hearing the leaders testimony has given me hope. Knowing that I am not alone in this journey of being called to be leaders/ doing God’s will. I can lean on the leaders, the saints that have gone ahead of me”.
Many spoke of discovering new confidence, a willingness to step forward, and a clearer sense of purpose: “Absolutely amazing and has set me on a new path in life.”
At its heart, 10X is about forming leaders who can inspire others through their leadership - and this first cohort has done exactly that. I can’t wait to see how God continues to unfold His plans through them.
Renée Doyle, Director of Leadership Development, NET Ministries
The culmination of Initial Training was our Family & Friends Day, held on the final weekend on the Sunshine Coast. More than 120 people gathered for Mass, dinner and an encouraging reflection - parents, siblings, friends, supporters and alumni standing together around these missionaries.
Fr Will Iuliano (Alumnus), offered a powerful and accessible message, reminding all present that faith is meant to be lived courageously and shared generously. The evening was grounded in prayer and lifted in song through Praise and Worship led by Emmanuel Worship, giving voice to thanksgiving and hope.
SUPPORTING THE MISSION
AtNET Ministries, we are committed to inspiring young people to encounter Jesus, follow him and find a home in the Church. Your support—both financial and prayerful—ensures that this mission continues to transform lives. Here’s how make faith possible:
Mission Partner
Join our community of monthly givers who sustain the mission year-round. Your ongoing support helps train and equip missionaries, provide resources for youth evangelisation, and expand mission reach across Australia and New Zealand.
NET Missionaries dedicate a year to bringing the Good News to young people. By sponsoring a missionary, you directly support their formation and ministry needs, enabling them to share the love of Jesus where it’s needed most.
Your prayers are a powerful way to support our missionaries and the young people they serve. Request a Prayer Poster of the 2025 NET Missionaries and commit to interceding for their mission and that of NET Ministries and the renewal of faith in Australia & New Zealand.
Copyright (C) 2026 NET Ministries Australia & New Zealand. All rights reserved. THANK YOU for supporting NET Ministries in the past. We are excited about continuing to partner with YOU to reach the youth of Australia & New Zealand.
NET Ministries Australia & New Zealand PO Box 294 Ellen Grove, Qld 4078 Australia
