Rome: Two young First Nations Australians, Drew Campbell and Jacob Lasserre, are immersing themselves in a rich cultural journey in the heart of Rome as recipients of the prestigious 2025 Francis Xavier Conaci Scholarship. Awarded annually by the Australian Catholic University (ACU) in partnership with the Australian Embassy to the Holy See, the scholarship honors Aboriginal heritage while fostering international understanding and education.
The pair, both 19 years old, are studying at ACU’s Brisbane campus Campbell pursuing Speech Pathology and Lasserre preparing for a career in Secondary Education. Their voices took center stage on July 9 at a special event hosted at the Australian Embassy to the Holy See, held during Australia’s National NAIDOC Week, which this year celebrates “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.”
Speaking at the event, Campbell a proud Wiradjuri woman reflected deeply on her family history and the enduring presence of her culture. “My culture isn’t something behind me. It’s beside me and within me,” she said, recounting her grandmother’s painful experience of being separated from her family at age eight as part of the Stolen Generations. The Rome experience, she said, has reignited a personal mission to honor that history through healing and advocacy.
“I want to help give a voice to those who feel unheard,” she shared. “As a future speech pathologist, I hope to work in rural communities and empower Aboriginal people to connect and communicate, ensuring they have access to the same opportunities as everyone else.”
Lasserre, a Kamilaroi man, emphasized the significance of cultural exchange and global learning in his speech. “To be here in Rome, to share and carry First Nations identity with me, and to bring back the lessons from this sacred place to my people it’s a powerful step forward,” he told Vatican News. His remarks, delivered partly in his native language, highlighted the symbolism and storytelling traditions that shape Indigenous communities.
One of the most moving parts of the students’ visit was their pilgrimage to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls the believed resting place of Francis Xavier Conaci, the 19th-century Aboriginal boy after whom the scholarship is named. Conaci had travelled to Rome as a child to join a Benedictine order before tragically dying young. His legacy now serves as a bridge between Australia’s First Nations peoples and the global Catholic community.
For Campbell, Conaci’s journey became a personal metaphor. “He stepped far beyond what was familiar. Even in his discomfort, he pursued something greater. That’s what I want to do too—step boldly into the unknown.”
Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, Keith Pitt, welcomed guests and praised the scholarship’s role in amplifying Indigenous voices on the global stage. Representatives from the Vatican’s Dicasteries for Interreligious Dialogue and for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments were also in attendance, underscoring the significance of the event.
The program also featured reflections from two special guests dedicated to First Nations advocacy. Kirsten Sayers, CEO of Caritas Australia, outlined the Church’s grassroots efforts to empower Indigenous Australians, from climate resilience initiatives to employment programs. She also noted the rapidly growing presence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics within the Church.
“There are now over 135,000 First Nations Catholics,” she explained. “They represent one of the youngest and fastest growing communities in the Australian Catholic Church.”
Katherine Aigner, a cultural anthropologist, shared her experiences working with the Vatican Museums’ ethnographic department, Anima Mundi, to reconnect sacred artifacts with their Indigenous communities. Her work culminated in the landmark “Rituals of Life” exhibition in 2010.
As the event drew to a close, the words of both students echoed a larger hope not just for personal growth but for reconciliation, representation, and revitalization of Indigenous identity within global Catholic spaces.
Through this international journey, Campbell and Lasserre are not only learning—they are teaching. They are bearing witness to stories rooted in the oldest living cultures on Earth, lighting a path forward for future generations of First Nations Australians who aspire to walk confidently between two worlds.