| 1: Careena |
Careena Craven grew up in a household where faith was a stranger. Now she's preparing to become a leader in her parish. |
| 2: Erin |
From a young age, 34-year-old Erin Gillard always harboured a yearning to serve God. She shares how even a shock diagnosis couldn't dissuade her from serving God. |
| 3: Anton |
Summernats "grand mullet" winner Anton Medvidovic grew up in faith, but strayed and found himself in a dark place. Fraternity and the witness of other men brought him back to God. |
| 4: Quyen Phan |
As a young girl growing up in Vietnam, Quyen Phan hoped to become a Buddhist nun. God had other plans. |
| 5: Carl |
Carl hopes his return to the faith and daily involvement in parish life can inspire other Catholics, especially youth, to bring their energy to help renew their own parish. |
| 6: Andrew |
The extraordinary faith of Andrew Condoleon reads like a movie script. From a tennis prodigy bound for Wimbledon, to an ice addicted, street gang member, Andrew’s transformation into a parish leader and an inspirational fixture among the Catholic men’s movement is inspiring. |
| 7: Gina |
As the child of Greek migrants, Gina did not feel connected to her Orthodox faith. But when her husband fell gravely ill, she prayed silently for strength, grasping to a faith she only remembered from her childhood. |
| 8: Maree |
With her fiery Auburn hair and tanned visage, we can still see in Maree Ataya, the hint of a Northern Beaches "Stevie Nicks", the enchanting rebel resplendent in vibrant tie-dye and flowing skirts. But it’s also a past filled with the dysfunction of those turbulent times. |
| 9: Jamie |
Growing up in a devoutly Catholic Lebanese family, Jamie Alam began rebelling against his strict upbringing as a teenager, even questioning the very existence of God. That was until a life-changing moment saw those doubts disappear overnight, transforming him into an unwavering pillar of strength with an eye to be a future leader of his parish. |
| 10: Mia |
Mia Nurlia’s progression from a devout Muslim badminton athlete in Indonesia to a Catholic hopeful is a reminder that faith can take many forms and that, in the face of adversity, we can discover joy, connection, and purpose. |
| 11: Stuart |
One of Australia’s top "stunt truck drivers", Stuart Brady went from building his business empire to becoming a leader of Catholic men, along the way learning what real success is about and inspiring his own son to enter the seminary. Today Stuart is a regular at menALIVE events where he shares his story to help other men become better fathers. |
| 12: Mary |
From the moment she took her first breath, Mary Profilio’s world has been shrouded in silence. Born deaf, her world has been, at times, one of isolation and struggle. But in the depths of her heart, an unshakeable voice guides her through the shadows: the divine voice of Our Lord. Mary Profilio’s heart heard the voice of Jesus. Her faith was first given clarity by her loving mother, Philomena, when, as a child attending Mass, the words of the Gospel would literally fall on deaf ears. |
| 13: Steve |
As a fisherman Steve finds solace in nature and the rhythms of the sea, but once upon a time, this connection was devoid of the divine. It was just over a decade ago that Steve described himself as a "God believing atheist" who firmly held onto his belief that faith was unnecessary. |
| 14: Anne |
The Catholic Chinese community has become a powerhouse of faith and active evangelisation and helping drive this revival are passionate parishioners like mother of two, Anne Wu. But growing up, Anne never felt close to Jesus, or her faith, until an event set her on a path that inspired her to help awaken the "sleeping giant" of Sydney's faithful. |
| 15: Tomasz |
As the son of Polish immigrants, Tomasz grew up with Catholicism in his heart, but not necessarily in his blood. Catholicism had always been an intrinsic part of his culture and identity, but he never had a relationship with God. It was at World Youth Day in 2008 that his life took a pivotal turn when Tomasz encountered the transformative teaching of The Theology of the Body delivered by Christopher West, a passionate speaker who resonated with his search for meaning. |
| 16: Harrison |
Just over two years ago, Harrison Brady, filled with hope and anticipation as he prepared for the seminary, faced one of life’s most cruel challenges. During a routine medical examination required for seminary admission, doctors delivered devastating news: a diagnosis of leukemia, stemming from a group of rare blood cancers. “The last thing you want to hear as a young 21-year-old about to enter the seminary is that you are in an early stage of cancer”, Harrison said. But in that moment of despair, something remarkable happened — he heard God’s voice. |
| 17: Chris |
As a young star for St Mary’s Cathedral choir, Chris discovered a talent for singing that saw him pursue a career in the pop music world, as a young man. It saw him stray far from his faith, veering into a “rock and roll lifestyle” that threw his life into chaos. That was until a chance visit back to church for confession saw him not only reclaiming his passion for music but also redirecting it towards a profound mission: to inspire others and evangelise through his newfound voice. |
| 18: Evelyn |
Evelyn, a 23-year-old Indonesian woman living in Australia, grew up in a devout Protestant family and felt compelled to pray for Catholics to convert to her faith. However, her worldview shifted in late 2021 when she researched Catholicism and discovered the transformative significance of the Eucharist as the true Body and Blood of Christ. This profound realisation led her to embrace Catholicism, join the RCIA program, and participate in the Rite of Election. Evelyn now seeks to share her story and inspire other Catholics to appreciate the richness of their faith. |
| 19: Lisa |
Lisa Healy is a 42-year-old from Engadine with Irish roots. She shares her story from loneliness and depression as a new mother to finding hope and purpose through faith. While her first pregnancy brought joy, her second child triggered a deep sense of isolation and internal struggle, which she concealed from her loved ones. Until a moment of grace ignited a transformation, helping her move from darkness into a life filled with hope, love, and purpose. |
| 20: Danial |
Danial Fardon's conversion to the Catholic faith began when he was a curious child, not baptised into the faith, but with a deep desire to encounter Jesus after learning about him in Scripture class in primary school. But he never got the chance. Until divine intervention came where least expected, in the form of a series of four-minute clips on Youtube called "Disciple Diaries". |