Youth conference so popular it might outgrow its venue

Teenage attendance at the annual Ignite Youth Conference in Brisbane has gone through the roof, creating a happy problem for organisers, according to The Catholic Leader.

Conference organisers Luke Plant and Kym Keady, both members of the Emmanuel Community in Brisbane, said the four-day event might “soon outgrow” its venue at Mueller College, Rothwell.

“If that happens we’re going to say, ‘Thank You God for this amazing problem, we know You have a plan and we will wait to find out what it is,’” Mrs Keady said.

This year’s Ignite Conference from September 22 to 25 drew more than 1600 registered participants, a marked increase on last year’s event.

As many as 430 students and teachers arrived from Lismore Diocese alone and have been well represented since 2009.

Others travelled from as far as Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, New Zealand, and Canada.
These numbers are an improvement on what began as “a creative arts worship and youth conference” in 2001 with about 100 participants.

Ignite Conference is “a highly professional, national, annual Catholic youth conference drawing more and more people each year,” said Mrs Keady.

Organisers said the growing number of youth attending Ignite Conference meant more Catholic youth believed in the power of the Church.