Folk costumes and faith
The success of initiatives like youth masses organised by individual Croatian Catholic centres and communities in Australia lies in understanding that keeping young people connected to their faith requires more than just age-appropriate services. It requires creating opportunities for genuine community, mentorship and service that allows faith to be lived in a practical way.
Young Australian Croatians often thrive when they can see their faith as relevant to their daily lives and future aspirations. This might mean connecting Catholic social teaching with contemporary issues that interest them, or providing opportunities for leadership within the church community.
The ripple effect
When young people remain connected to their religious community, the benefits extend far beyond individual spiritual growth. They become bridges between generations, helping older community members understand contemporary challenges whilst learning from the wisdom and experience of their elders. They also become future leaders who will carry Croatian Catholic traditions forward, adapting them for new generations whilst retaining their fundamental spiritual significance.
Moreover, engaged young people often become powerful evangelisers amongst their peers. Their authentic participation in religious life can attract other young people who might otherwise never set foot in a church, expanding the community’s reach and influence.
Looking ahead
The Croatian Catholic community’s commitment in Clifton Hill to regular youth and family masses represents more than a good programme—it is an investment in the future of faith. By creating spaces where young people can encounter God in ways that speak to their generation, whilst remaining rooted in centuries-old tradition, these communities are writing the next chapter of Croatian Catholicism in Australia. On Saturday, 2nd August, due to the holding of the 8th Children’s Folklore Festival at HKC Sunshine, this holy mass was celebrated at the church of St Leopold Bogdan Mandić in Sunshine.
How lovely it was to see the youth, especially dressed in Croatian folk costumes, as these photographs also bear witness.
More than ordinary services
Holy masses for young people are more than ordinary services; they are testimony to the belief that faith is not a museum exhibit to be preserved unchanged, but a living tradition that becomes stronger when it embraces each new generation with respect for those who came before.
The future of faith does not lie in choosing between tradition and relevance, but in finding creative ways to honour both, ensuring that young people see themselves not as inheritors of someone else’s faith, but as co-creators of a living, breathing spiritual community that speaks to their hearts and souls.
Share with us your experiences from your Croatian Catholic communities – may the Croatian youth who belong to them join you in ever greater numbers.
A summary reel from the youth mass held on 2nd August at HKC Sunshine: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1266219265224983
Photo credit: Suzana Fantov
