Renowned Dominican priest, theologian, and author from the Thomistic Institute in the United States, Fr Gregory Pine OP, visited Sydney this month as a keynote speaker at Purpose Fest, a vibrant celebration of young Catholic life held at Rosebank College in Five Dock, reports The Catholic Weekly.
Fr Pine captivated the audience with his humour and insights on the virtue of hope, at the July 2 event which drew more than 1,100 attendees from across the city for a day filled with fun, faith, formation, and community.
Fr Gregory Pine OP, speaking at Purpose Fest in Sydney. PHOTO: Giovanni Portelli Photography /Catholic Weekly
“Hope brings us to God with certainty and confidence that he will fulfill his promises – not vaguely or abstractly, but concretely,” he explained. “Hope is what gives us the certainty and confidence to believe that these promises are for us.”
Fr Pine emphasised that hope is not mere wishful thinking but a transformative theological virtue. It provides concrete assurance of God’s promises, even amid the scepticism many young people feel when faced with seemingly impossible spiritual claims.
“One way to describe hope is that the hopeful person is someone who is always on the way,” he said. This metaphor of being “on the way” resonated particularly with young audiences, portraying Christian life as an active journey rather than passive waiting.
He linked hope to God’s omnipotence and mercy, assuring that, “His promises are for us despite our faults.”
He also shared four acts from the church’s Handbook of Indulgences as practical steps to nurture a prayerful life: “Thirty minutes of prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, 30 minutes of reading Sacred Scripture, making the Stations of the Cross in a church or oratory, and reciting the Rosary.”
“Let love lead you,” he advised, “because the end is God.” His talk ultimately presented Catholicism not as a burdensome obligation but as a path of freedom guided by love.
Jamie Alam from St Kevin’s parish in Eastwood, shared that he “took away a lot of hope, strength, and courage to be the best version of myself and to pray more”.
He resonated with the idea that faith shouldn’t be a burden of obligations. Jamie shared that he learned he can “live out my faith with others” and “always turn back to Jesus”.
The evening concluded with a lively Q&A session hosted by Sr Anastasia Reeves OP, featuring Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP and Fr Gregory Pine OP.
Organised by the Sydney Catholic Youth team within the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, Purpose Fest fused the future with tradition.
It featured a world-first: a virtual reality experience that immersed students and young adults in the faith journey of Blessed Carlo Acutis, fostering friendship and community through live music, engaging talks, faith experiences, and a variety of activities designed to deepen participants’ spiritual journeys.
Faith-based market stalls, live podcasts, food trucks, basketball and weightlifting challenges created a true festival atmosphere of faith and fellowship.
This article is drawn from an article by Darren Ally published in The Catholic Weekly.