Catholic Youth Parramatta News

WYD Rio 2013 Office open for business

Palm Sunday this year was the launch date for the Parramatta to Rio WYD 2013 pilgrimage. In preparation for this exciting event, Ian Jordan, Executive Officer for WYD13, and Michael Digges, Business Manager for the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta, journeyed to Rio de Janeiro.

Along the way, Ian describes visiting the Jesuit Guarani Missions in Argentina, Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil, and Lima in Peru before arriving in Rio - see blog at www.parrawyd.org 

After another hectic schedule of departures from Lima (Argentina) and then Sao Paulo (Brazil) we arrived late at night in Rio de Janeiro.

The next morning we visited the WYD Rio 2013 Office to meet officials and to find out as much as possible about venues, transport, general logistics and accommodation options.

We were warmly greeted by Renata Rodrigues (Editor in Chief WYD13), Gutavo Ribeiro (Manager for Cultural Events) and Fr Jefferson Gonzalves de Curaujo (coordinator of Mission Week).

Bishop Dom Paulo Cezar Costa, Auxiliary Bishop of Rio, heads the group, which already has more than 30 full-time staff working on WYD13.

The WYD13 offices had several stunning murals which will be used to communicate to the world about what is happening in Rio in July 2013.

No matter where you travel in Rio, whether night or day, you are drawn to the statue of Cristo Redento (Christ the Redeemer) on top of Corcovada Hill.

It is absolutely stunning and gives panoramic views of all of Rio. WYD13 officials are negotiating with local government to have this and the Sugar Loaf chairlift open 24/7 during WYD Week.

After the meeting with WYD officials we were taken to the Catedral do Rio de Janeiro, Rio's San Sebastian Cathedral. The cathedral took 12 years to complete and was blessed and opened by Pope Paul XI in 1976. It can seat several thousand and has 25 arcs of granite and stained glass windows.

Much information was processed and recorded, which will be invaluable for our pilgrimage and stay in Rio. Among many discussions, it was noted that 60,000 volunteers are expected to assist the WYD week (22-28 July 2013) with a name change from Days in the Diocese to Mission Week.

We now say farewell and thanks to all, as our field trip draws to a close. We were very appreciative of the prayers and blessings for our success and safe return.

While reports will be tabled and much discussion pursued, Michael and I are very encouraged by what we have seen and what can be done to ensure the success of our Parramatta to Rio Pilgrimage to WYD13.

Quick links

Catholic Diocese of Parramatta WYDRio2013 site: www.parrawyd.org 

Visit the official WYDRio2013 website: www.rio2013.com/en 

Like the official WYDRio2013 page on Facebook: World Youth Day

Bishop Anthony launches Parramatta’s pilgrimage

Photo: Alphonsus Fok & Grace Lu.

With the tap of an iPad, Bishop Anthony Fisher OP launched the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta’s pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Rio in 2013 and its new website.

The launch took place on Palm Sunday on 1 April and followed the Procession with Palms and Youth Mass when more than 900 people filled St Patrick’s Cathedral. Palm Sunday this year was also World Youth Day (WYD) 2012.

“Every WYD is a chance for young people to give witness to Christ, the Church, their ideals, their hopes for a better world. They are evangelising, just by being themselves, being themselves together, in faith,” Bishop Anthony said.

“I’ll be leading some of you to the holy city of Lima in Peru, to encounter its many saints such as Rose of Lima and Martin de Porres, and to engage in a project with the poor. Then to Iguazu Falls to contemplate God’s gifts and to spend time together in catechesis and prayer, then on to Rio for WYD Week.”

Following the launch, young people and their families enjoyed a BBQ supper, which was sponsored by Campion College, Australia’s only Catholic Liberal Arts College.

On the new WYD13 website you will find Bishop Anthony’s video invitation to young people aged 16-35 to come to Rio, information about pilgrimage itineraries, the Parramatta to Rio blog, fundraising, and a media gallery of young people sharing their experience of previous WYDs, and photos: www.parrawyd.org

Brazil is the largest Catholic country in the world. About 143 million of its 193 million people are Catholics and millions more are Christian. Presiding over Rio’s harbour is the 38m high statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Four million people are expected to take part in WYD Rio in July 2013.

Bishop Anthony was coordinator of WYD 2008 in Sydney when Pope Benedict XVI was joined by 450,000 Catholics from across the world for a week-long festival of faith.

Last year, Bishop Anthony led 180 young people from the Diocese through the Holy Land on the way to WYD in Madrid. Here they were joined by another 100 pilgrims from the Diocese for WYD Week, when 2 million young Catholics came together to celebrate their faith.

With their sights now set on South America, young people in parishes and schools across the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta are preparing to join one of three pilgrim paths that will take in Mexico, Lima and Iguazu before converging in Rio.

Good Friday ‘Walk and Talk with the Lord’ 

Tired but wired: the walkers arrive at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

By Annabelle Bhandoo, CYP Youth Worker, Catholic Outlook, May 2012

The Good Friday Night Walk took place for the second time in the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta on the evening of 6 April 2012. About 800 people took part in this year’s walk, which was organised by Catholic Youth Parramatta (CYP), the diocesan Youth Office.

The walk started at 11pm from St Patrick’s Church in Blacktown, visited five other Catholic churches on the way, and culminated at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta early on Saturday morning: a journey of more than 20km.

Bishop Anthony Fisher OP joined us for parts of the walk and was happy to see so many young people take part. He walked with the young people and met many from across the Diocese and beyond.

The focus of the walk was on Jesus – a few hours earlier we had commemorated His death and we were waiting to celebrate His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The 14 Stations of the Cross were one of the highlights of the walk. The first two Stations were prayed at St Patrick’s Church, Blacktown, the next two Stations were prayed at the next church, and so forth. We completed the Stations at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta.

At the head of the walk was a cross carried by different youth groups along the way. People sang hymns, took time out for silent reflection and prayer.

Arriving at the Cathedral was an achievement, and people were cheerful and excited. Several participants said that although they were (understandably) tired, this experience was ‘cool’ and has inspired them in their faith. It’s something out of the ordinary to walk all night; it was fun and it helped them focus on God and reflect on their life.

Catholic Youth Parramatta would like to thank the Parish Priests of Blacktown, Seven Hills, Toongabbie, Wentworthville, Westmead, North Parramatta and Parramatta for their support.

They gladly opened their churches for us and, with volunteers, provided refreshments that helped us to soldier on. Thank you also to ‘Youthworks’, the youth group at St Andrew the Apostle Parish in Marayong who did a marvellous job as marshals; to Fr Pat Mullins SJ from Holy Family Parish at Emerton who accompanied us with the bus in case of an emergency; and all the first aid volunteers and all who helped in so many ways way during this event.

BJ23 welcomes young people to Mass

By Annabelle Bhandoo, CYP Youth Worker

The second Diocesan Youth Mass for the year took place on 22 April at Blessed John XXIII Catholic Church (BJ23) at Glenwood-Stanhope Gardens. This saw a large number of young people attend from the Hawkesbury Deanery as well as from other parishes within the Diocese.

Parish Priest Fr Dave Hume and the youth and young adults of the parish gave us a warm welcome and it was inspiring to join the parishioners for Sunday Mass.

Special thanks to Fr Dave for his support and cheerful disposition and the youth from BJ23 as well as to the choir, people involved in the liturgy and to all the volunteers who cooked and served the BBQ. God bless you!

Catholic Youth Parramatta (CYP) would like to invite all the youth and young adults from across the Diocese, especially from the Blacktown Deanery, to join in the next Diocesan Youth Mass.

Mass will be celebrated in the Blacktown Deanery at St Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, 40 Breakfast Road, Marayong, on Sunday 24 June.

Confessions from 5.30pm prior to Mass at 6pm with a light supper afterwards. For catering purposes please RSVP by Monday 18 June to youth@parra.catholic.org.au 

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