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WA's only Catholic weekly newspaper
Late breaking news: Vatican releases first revision in 25 years of instructions for celebrating and offering Mass - Page 2
Kimberley Catholics go on pilgrimage to Beagle Bay -Page 8
Young pilgrims blessed for Rome Jubilee trip
Denise Wijasuriya from Attadale parish: delighted to be going.
Archbishop Barry Hickey blesses Perth youth who will go to Rome for World Youth Day.
By Peter ilosengren A buzz of excitement hung in the air as more than a hundred youth from around the Perth archdiocese's parishes gathered in St Mary's Cathedral Parish Centre last Tuesday night. They and extra family mem-
bers - mostly mums and dads were there for the final meeting to co-ordinate their pilgrimage to Rome, as part of the international World Youth Day celebrations set to commence on 15 August with Mass in St Peter's
Square.
Hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world are expected to participate. The Perth Archdiocese is sending approximately 135 youth and young adults for the celebrations with Pope John Paul II, part of a larger Australian contingent of more than 1,000 young people. The Perth contingent will be leaving in groups over several days from 5-12 August. Archbishop Barry Hickey commissioned the youth, telling them that pilgrimage is a holy and ancient custom of Christian people. 'It reminds us that our lives are a pilgrimage towards our eternal life,' he said.
'So I congratulate you on being able to go, and I congratulate the parishes, schools and colleges that have raised the money to sponsor you.* He said the faith of the young people had inspired them to go to the Holy Land, Rome, or both. Five years ago he and Fr Tim Foster went to World Youth Day in Manila with approximately 30 young people from Perth. But the large Perth contingent of young people going this year was 'tremendous,' he said. As for those going to the Holy Land, they were lucky. 'When you're there you feel like you're back in the time of Jesus,' he said. Unfortunately he would not be able to join the Perth contingent until the last few days of the celebrations, but, he promised, 'we'll join you.' He also told the young people they would be spending a vigil with the Holy Father which begins on the evening of Saturday 19 August. on the campus of the University of Tor Vergata, located on the outskirts of Rome. The vigil will finish on the Sunday morning with a papal Mass. The plan is for youth to bring a sleeping bag or rug and sleep out that evening. However, he said, 'Whether I sleep out there that night - we'll wait and see.'
Photos. Peter Rosengren
But we'll be there with you as much as possible,' he promised Meanwhile, just as the disciples in the Gospel account had felt their hearts burning within them as they journeyed on the road to Emmaus and listened to Jesus explain the Scriptures to them. they would also have a similar experience. he hoped. In Rome. the young pilgrims would sense Jesus in their companions. in their prayer together and as they sing songs and 'in the faces of the poor you'll see on the streets' 'And your hearts will go out to them because you bear His Imprint in your souls by Baptism, because you are Christian people, you are followers of Jesus,' he said. The Archbishop then commissioned the pilgrims and prayed over them for their journey. Afterwards, Denise Wijasuriya. 24, from St Joseph Pignatelli parish in Attadale, told The Record she was the only representative of her parish. However, the psychology student at Notre Dame University added, she was delighted to be going to Rome to see the Pope. -I'm so excited. I've never been anywhere, never travelled, never been on a pilgrimage,' she said, adding 'I feel really blessed.' Like many others there on 'fliesday evening, Noel Chow, 22, a
Melanie Oldenhof, Noel Chow and Charlie McLeod from Bateman: excited. molecular biologist; Charlie McLeod. 19. a medicine student at the University of Western Australia: and Melanie Oldenhof, 23, a laboratory assistant - all Bateman parishioners - used one word to describe their feelings about going to Rome: excited. Noel said the pilgrimage would be 'a really good opportunity to visit Europe, to see the Pope and also to experience a different culture in a spiritual way' Melanie, who has never been overseas before, said that after the celebrations she would be heading off for Medjugorje to spend some time at the famous Marian centre. 'It's a big adventure,' she agreed. Charlie Lake, a late inclusion in the pilgrimage due to a vacancy occurring, said she expected the pilgrimage to be, among other things, a lot of fun. She expected to meet new friends, experience different parts
of the world and also deepen her faith. Asked what was important about the pilgrimage she said: 'Having so many young people together in one place and to be able to celebrate Mass with the Pope - it'll be unbelievable.' Meanwhile, Kevin Gorey from Flightworld. the Perth travel agency handling almost all the pilgrimage bookings, noted later that, after the celebrations conclude in Rome, Perth young people would be heading off in every possible different direction. Mike Deering, also from Flightworld, said the bookings side of the pilgrimage had unexpectedly become a headache when the air travel company which was made up of a partnership between Alitalia and KLM airlines, had unexpectedly separated. 'So we needed to reorganise the entire flight schedule for all of them: it was very, very difficult to do.' he said.