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Online registrations have officially opened for the 2019 Australian Catholic Youth Festival, to be held in Perth from December 8 to 10.

A number of key festival speakers and performers have already been announced, including ACYF favourite, priest-musician Fr Rob Galea, international Catholic speaker and author Katie Prejean McGrady and American Catholic rapper Joe Melendrez.

The speaker lineup also includes founder of the Walk-Free Foundation, Grace Forrest, as well as Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB and Bishop Delegate for Youth and Wilcannia-Forbes Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green OSPPE.

The Festival registration process can be completed on mobile or tablet devices. Groups and individuals can register online at www.acyf.org.au

Groups and individuals over 18 years can register as part of a local group or directly as an individual participant. All participants aged under 18 years must register as part of a group.

As the largest gathering of the Catholic Church in Australia, the 2019 ACYF promises to be an exciting and powerful event for young people from year 9 to the age of 30. The Festival aims to attract more than 5,000 young people from across the country to deepen and celebrate their Catholic faith on local soil.

Archbishop Costelloe, as the host bishop, said he is praying that young people across Australia will take a courageous step in their life of faith and come to ACYF 2019.

“I encourage all who really want to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to them today to register as soon as possible,” Archbishop Costelloe said.

“The organising committee has worked hard to ensure the Festival will bring a rich variety of speakers, musicians, workshops and formation opportunities for our young people, and of course moments of individual and community prayer.

“If you are between year 9 and 30 years old, the Festival is definitely for you.”

The three-day event is an initiative of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, hosted in partnership with the Archdiocese of Perth. The official theme of the Festival is “Listen to What the Spirit is Saying” and will highlight the journey towards the Plenary Council 2020.

The 2019 Festival will be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC), centrally located to the CBD and public transport. The final Mass will take place on the oval of Trinity College.

For more information about the Festival, go to  http://youthfestival.catholic.org.au/