Finding it's cool to talk about God

Published: 18 July 2010
By: Selina Venier

Gympie group: Gympie parish priest Fr Pat Cassidy with fellow Pray 2010 pilgrims Sarah Cerescher and (from left) her brother Michael, Hogan Rogers and Mitchell Granshaw

AS it was in Jesus' time, a bite to eat at Pray 2010 provided the chance to be among a "healthy buzz".

A group of young people from St Patrick's, Gympie, attended with their parish priest Fr Pat Cassidy and were found enjoying morning tea.

They spoke of the event's impact and especially of seeing a number of religious sisters milling around them.
"You do a double-take," Sarah Cerescher said of seeing various religious in habits.

"They're really nice ... (but) we don't get to see them much, only in the movies."

Sarah's brother Michael said "it's a shame" more young people hadn't also come along to Pray 2010 during their school holidays.

"There's a lot of peer pressure," he said of faith-sharing among his peers.

"If you say something about God you get shunned a bit.

"(But) coming to Pray 2010 has been awesome."

The group spoke of their admiration for Emmanuel Community's youth outreach of Zero Gravity - a young people's camp experience held in January - many leaders of which led worship and workshop presentations during July 7-10.

Finally, Hogan Rogers, the most comical of the lively group, said the best part of Pray 2010 was "the macadamia slice".