“Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!” Christus Vivit

Pope Francis wrote Christus Vivit, an Apostolic Exhortation which is a sort of holy open letter, to the young people of the world. Young people are important to the Catholic Church, as you are our future.

It is difficult to maintain our faith and our values amidst so much temptation in this secular world, especially for young people. Social media is meant to bring us together, but can so often lead to pressure, anxiety and a false sense of friendship. Even in today’s world of connectivity, it is easy to feel isolated and lonely.

"He is in you, he is with you and he never abandons you. However far you may wander, he is always there, the Risen One. He calls you and he waits for you to return to him and start over again. When you feel you are growing old out of sorrow, resentment or fear, doubt or failure, he will always be there to restore your strength and your hope." Christus Vivit

There are many opportunities for you to meet up and worship with like-minded friends in the Catholic Church. For Tamariki and Teens, most parishes have a youth group and details for these will be on the parish website. Our Catholic schools often have regional shared activities, so students can get to know each other and form friendships. Each diocese has a dedicated youth team or co-ordinator to help you find a path to a group that will suit you. As rangatahi enter university, often living away from the family home for the first time, the University Chaplaincy can provide useful support as you find your way.

This page provides information about how the Church in Aotearoa New Zealand is trying to meet the needs of young people. Young Church co-ordinators are passionate about providing the tools you need to be a resilient Catholic, walking your pathway to authentic and lifelong discipleship.

Scroll down for pages that list the contact details and activities for youth in Aotearoa New Zealand.

World Youth Day

This is a global event that is celebrated with much enthusiasm by the Vatican. Started by Pope John Paul II in 1985, it consists of pilgrimages, parties and prayer. Every three years, there is a major world celebration and, last year, the place-to-be was Lisbon, Portugal. In 2027, the World Youth Day celebration will be held in Soeul.

Locally. World Youth Day is an annual event, so keep your eye on social media in your diocese for events near you. Auckland hosts probably the largest event, so it may be worth a weekend with friends in Auckland?

https://worldyouthday.com

Life Teen

This is a Catholic Youth organisation that also has a reach around the world. Many successful parish youth groups use Life Teen as their model. There are fantastic videos where you can learn about different aspects of the Catholic Faith in an entertaining way. They share kai, worship together and play lots of games and generally enjoy themselves. Each year Life Teen NZ holds a Summer Camp.

On the 30th of August to the 1st of September, Lifeteen is holding a Leadership Conference at Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt. Head to their website for more information and to register.

https://lifeteen.nz

Hearts Aflame

The Hearts Aflame Summer School is a standout event in the young Church calendar. This is a hugely popular 10 day camp with guest speakers, games, worship, music and more. This is a camp for young adults. Please see the website or social media pages for more details. 

Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School | Fides et Scientia

Auckland

As our largest city, Auckland has a full and well-attended range of groups and events. Events include balls, Catholic leadership workshops, ‘The Upper Room’ events and speakers, and plenty of other opportunities for fellowship and worship.

You will find up-to-date information through Auckland’s thriving Youth and Young Adult ministry and tertiary chaplaincy. Details for events are regularly posted on social media, and their website includes links to all social media pages. You can visit our dedicated Auckland Youth PDF to download and print here, or visit the Auckland Youth page in our More about Our Church section. Click the following link to go straight to their website:

ACYM Home - Catholic Diocese of Auckland (aucklandcatholic.org.nz)

To order tickets for the Alice in Wonderland Young Adults Ball in September, follow this link Young Adults Ball Tickets, Sat, Sep 14, 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Palmerston North

Palmy is absolutely fizzing with enthusiasm for Young Catholics, and this is evident in their website page that provides many useful links. Particularly useful is their page where you can find the nearest Youth Minister in your area. https://pndiocese.org.nz/young-catholics/contacts/

The Palmerston North website also has a page helping you to find the Tertiary Chaplain for the institution where you are studying: https://pndiocese.org.nz/young-catholics/te-ahi-kaa-the-hearth-place/

Palmy Young Catholics is a young adult group for students, young couples, and working young adults aged 18-35.

The group runs through Kotahi Ano at The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, and are currently the only active young adult group in the Palmerston North area. For more information, email [email protected] To join their FB group, please go to:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/428802775935564/

Nick Wilson, the Chair of the National Council for Young People, is based in Palmerston North and has produced a PDF containing all the contact details for Tertiary students around Aotearoa New Zealand. Please scroll down to download and print your copy. 

Wellington

Wellington also enjoys a thriving young adult Catholic Scene. There is eXaLT which is a regular praise and worship event, St Mary of the Angels Young Adults group who meet frequently for talks and events, and regular youth masses throughout the Archdiocese. Details of all this and much more can be found on the following website:

https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/about/church-mission/young-church-ministries/

Christchurch

Christchurch have an abundance of opportunities for youth and young adults to connect with their faith and with each other. This includes social opportunities such as balls and camps, to young adults’ groups attached to each parish. There is something for everyone in Christchurch. Please click on the links to find out more.  

https://cdoc.nz/what-we-do/youth

https://cdoc.nz/what-we-do/young-adults

Catholic Youth Team – Catholic Diocese of Christchurch (cyt.org.nz)

Dunedin

Young Catholics in Dunedin can enjoy a Catholic Young Adults Prayer group, regular youth masses, and great Tertiary Chaplains in Fr. Mark Chamberlain and Amy Armstrong. Please find their details and more information by clicking the links:

https://www.cdd.nz/about-us/chaplaincies

https://www.cdd.nz/we-offer/young-people