Renata Steffens and Rohith Kinattukara
It’s a joy to be here as Youth 2000 gather. Everybody who is Catholic, just rejoices to be in the company of so many young people,” Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Phonsie Cullinan told The Irish Catholic at the Youth 2000 Summer Festival 2025, which took place from August 7-10 at Dominican College, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.
By Saturday afternoon, the annual event had attracted over 400 young people aged 16-22. Youth 2000 Regional Leader for Leinster, Dominic Fillion said due to this year’s Festival taking place in a different venue, the different layout provided a unique experience for the attendees. “There’s a nice, relaxed atmosphere”.
Bishop Cullinan said he could “see a confidence coming in these youngsters. They’re not buying into the media culture of established mainstream stuff. They are finding spirituality, they’re finding sustenance, they’re finding formation”.
Fr Vincent Stapleton, one of this year’s speakers said the atmosphere was “tremendous”. The priest said everything in the festival “is so personal, life giving… You need to be very closed not to be impacted by the energy and atmosphere here, it is marvellous.”
Witnessing the faithful youth gathered in Newbridge, Fr Stapleton said he sees a great future for the Catholic youth in Ireland. “All those hidden seeds, because they’re rooted in such basic practices [such] as adoration… The heart of the Church is the Eucharistic Jesus and [Youth 2000], is youth leading youth to the heart of the Church and that’s such a solid foundation.”
The bishop said that people are looking for truth, the truth that God is the author all of Creation. He said he can see a reaction to people recognising “a society of just isolated individuals with no commonality, with no common bond,” and people, especially young, are standing against that. “I think that these youngsters here [at Youth 2000 Festival], they’re also saying that they want that truth.”
