Young Mercy Links Becomes Terra Leaders

June 30, 2025

Members of Young Mercy Links Victoria and South Australia have recently participated in an immersion in Gariwerd/Grampians in Victoria that focused on integral ecology and the local Indigenous culture and heritage.

I had the privilege of attending the Young Mercy Links Terra Leaders Immersion in Gariwerd/Grampians in Victoria recently. It was such an insightful and fascinating five days with a fantastic group of people of which I am so grateful to have been a part.

The five day program focused on deepening our understanding of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, integral ecology and developing our own ecological identity. Juliet Talarico – a long term Young Mercy Links member, ecology graduate and botanist – facilitated two of the days.

Our learning in these sessions was amazing as she has such a breadth of knowledge and passion for what she is teaching. All of us came into the immersion with different perspectives and different levels of  knowledge so it was really special to be able to question and learn amongst such a supportive group.

Our time together was made all the more impactful by being so close to nature, with a lake for our backyard and being able to so richly connect with our surroundings. We spent a lot of time focusing on climate action and investigating what we as young people can do both individually and as a collective to advocate for change.

One of the activities I loved doing was the Council of All Beings, where we took on the persona of a non-human that was affected by the climate crisis. Other standouts included creating a Living Mandala together and practising Dadirri, an Indigenous spiritual practice that encourages you to be silent and present amongst nature.

Experiencing an Indigenous on Country Immersion was really eye-opening. We got the chance to view a traditional Indigenous rock painting that was 22,000 years old and learn the story of Tchingal, the emu who created the sandstone mountains within Grampians National Park.

On our hike through the National Park, it was really special getting to know everyone better and taking in the breathtaking views.

Despite the heat, we pushed through and all reached the Pinnacle! Thank you to the Institute, Angela, Gaby, Jet and the Young Mercy Links girls from Victoria and South Australia for this opportunity I’ll never forget. I know I’ve got some new friends for life!

Written by Grace Lew-Kee, Young Mercy Links Member

 

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