The Cathedral was filled with gratitude and memories as alumni of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) Movement gathered to celebrate its Centenary. Many are now grandparents, some even great-grandparents, but the values they learned remain as relevant as ever.

"We asked them: How did the YCW shape your life? ",  and "What advice would you share with young people today?"

On Sunday 13 July, Bishop Shane Mackinlay presided over a special Mass to celebrate the Centenary of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) Movement.  Sacred Heart Cathedral was filled with the gratitude and memories of YCW alumni, who gathered to honour the past and look with hope to the future.

Founded by Belgian priest Joseph Cardijn, the global movement helped young workers to see that their lives and experiences mattered — socially and spiritually, and it reminded the Church that the laity, especially the young, have a vital role in its mission.

Fr Joseph Cardijn was committed to forming and educating working-class youth so they could take their place in civil society and share in its responsibilities. He founded the YCW as a response to economic liberalism, which, he said, “paid no respect to the human person … but whose sole aim was profit and production,” and made victims of working-class youth, who were at risk of being treated as instruments of work, at the age of formation and preparation for life.

In Australia, the movement took on its own flavour. It was especially vibrant in the Sandhurst Diocese in the 1950s and 1960s because it filled a spiritual and social void for young people, the majority of whom left school at 15 or 16 to enter the workforce.

We asked former members of the YCW, many who are now grandparents, about how the YCW had shaped their faith, their lives and, in turn, their communities. All said YCW gave them the tools to live with purpose and integrity and noted that almost all members continued to be active in parish and community life throughout their lives.

“In the 1950s and 60s, most of us left school at 15 to start a job,” said one participant. “In a way, YCW was a continuing education and gave us opportunities to meet other young people, which we might not have had at work.”
“It was very social and great fun! We went on snow trips to Mount Buffalo, camps at Harrietville, held dances.”

Laurie O’Farrell, who joined in the late ’50s, agreed, “It was footy, dances, barbecues; it was a whole Christian life with your peers; all of those things helped to build character and make life-long friends.”

Sandhurst Priest, Fr Dennis Crameri, who was the Homilist at the Mass, shared his personal experience: “Initially, YCW was a fun thing to do with my mates, but the learning soon deepened. We didn’t realise we were being formed, but we were.”

“YCW developed my faith from that of a schoolgirl to that of a young woman,” said one YCW Alumna. “At school, we learned prayers, but not how to pray. YCW gave us space to ask questions and talk about real life. Meetings were led by our peers, which was powerful for all of us.”

Many recalled how the YCW helped ground their faith in everyday life. “Faith isn’t just for a crisis,” said one former member. “It’s something to nurture and be grateful for. We learned to see God in our workplaces, in our friendships, even in the smell of a flower.”

YCW Members agree that the YCW principles they learned, and came to value, have underpinned their lives. “These principles influenced and formed my character in my adolescent years, and I’ve applied them to countless decisions over my life,” said Laurie O’Farrell. “Especially ‘See, Judge, Act’.

“ ‘See Judge Act’ is a way of applying the Gospel to your life and the decisions you make,” explains Fr Dennis Crameri. “ I think the older members would say that it gave them a real foundation for decision making throughout their life.”

Fr Dennis elaborated:

“Basically, you look at a situation, notice what is happening around you, or happening to you. You assess that, by asking amongst other things, ‘What would Jesus do?’ It’s a bit like that. Then finding the fortitude to act on it and carry through.”

For Fr Dennis, the YCW was about building God’s Kingdom here on earth. “Bringing the Kingdom of God to the everyday life – to factories, to offices, workshops and homes,” he explained. He refers to the Opening Prayer, “It says so much about what YCW was about. ‘Help me to think like you, to pray to you.’ To make wise decisions based on the Gospel to help the Kingdom come, and recognise the Kingdom of everyday life.”

“Jesus never defined the Kingdom of God,” elaborated Fr Dennis. “He said, ‘it’s like the sower that sows the seed, it’s like the mustard seed, so potent and full of life, it's like casting a fishing net …”

“If Jesus were here now, he might say, ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like this gathering of people’. He used things that were around him as examples to illustrate the Kingdom of God. When Jesus’ disciples asked him why he used stories, he answered, ‘I want you to have the eyes to see, the ears to hear and the heart to understand.’ ”

YCW asked us, ‘What is the Kingdom of Jesus like for you?’ What do you see, what do you hear, what is in your heart?’ It helps us relate to this wonderful mystery and helps us to be attentive to our world, and what is going on around us,” said Fr Dennis. “It grounded our faith in the reality of the present moment and the Gospel and its teachings. This way of looking at the world and our own lives meant our lives became a Christian response and we didn’t even realise it.”

Their advice for young people today?

Fr Dennis, laments that young people today aren’t nourished in organisations like the YCW. “It gave generations before them a way to connect their faith to the real world,” he said. “This is still needed.”

So, what advice would Fr Dennis and other alumni of the YCW give to young people today?

A YCW Alumna advises: “Don’t discard your faith, the faith you have been raised in and learned at school; it is something to be nurtured and valued. As you get older, you realise it helps you through more than a rainy day. God will help you through tough times, but don’t just run to him when things go wrong. Be grateful to God for all the good in life and the good things we have in our lives. If you need help feeling grateful, go walk in nature, experience creation.”

La Trobe University and Ambulance Victoria Chaplain, Patricia Blanks advises, “Be attentive to the world around you, know what’s going on, and don’t be afraid to go where God calls you to act.”

Laurie O’Farrell suggests young people get involved in their communities, be it a church group, sporting group or other. “These activities enable you to mix with people your own age and help form your character. In a religious context, you’ll learn much more than you expect by being involved in parish life.” Above all suggestions, however, Laurie believes the best advice for young people is to learn to apply ‘See, Judge, Act’ to their lives. “I still use it today,” he said. “What would Jesus do?”

Fr Dennis advises: “Be aware, be attentive and try to discern a way. For YCW members, the discernment came in the light of the Gospel, the teachings of Jesus. Try to see God’s Kingdom not as futuristic, but as a present reality.”

And former YCW Leader, Liesbeth Van Emmerik’s recommendation to young people today? “Just get out there!”

The alumni of YCW in Sandhurst give thanks for 100 years of YCW — and pray that its spirit continues to inspire young people to be courageous, reflective, and active in bringing about God’s Kingdom in everyday life.

Image top-right:  After the YCW Centenary Mass, a plaque commemorating the YCW Centenary was blessed by Bishop Shane Mackinlay. 

In the next edition of Sandpiper e-News, we will hear from former YCW Leader, Liesbeth Van Emmerik (nee Rijken) about her journey with YCW. 

Return to Sandpiper 105 (1  August 2025)