There are still 116 days before WYD 2008, but its spirit and its impacts can be seen clearly at many parishes across Australia these days. On Good Friday, youths actively participate in the Way of Cross in their parishes with many innovative ways.
In the Good Shepherd church in Lockridge, Western Australia, a WYD group has spent months practising a great Passion play drawing a huge crowd of parishioners in Good Friday morning. The play and the somber music of the youth choir made many people burst into tears.
“I feel so emotional both at the sufferings of Christ and at impacts that the preparation of the WYD has changed my daughter”, said a parishioner.
Explaining in details about the WYD preparation program, Fr. Vinh Dong, the parish priest, said: “WYD is not just primarily about an event or events that will take place from 15 to 20 of July. We have a preparation period before that and many programs well beyond WYD08”.
“Currently, we want the youths in the parish to know more about their faith and discover what inspires and engages them in the Church. Later, we want them to engage more fully in the life of the Church”, he added.
“The spirit of WYD has changed me.” said Maria Vu, a member in the WYD group of 42 at Lockridge, “I am inspired by other youths at school and in my parish who bear witness to our Catholic faith and our belief in Jesus. I know for sure in Sydney, I will be more aware about the universal Catholic Church in which we are all swept up in the love of Christ. I think WYD is a wonderful thing. It's something that gives life to the Church.”
Ten km away from the Good Shepherd church, Catholic and Anglican youths took turn carrying the Cross in the Way of Cross organised by both St. Columba Catholic church and St. Augustine Anglican church. The ecumenical service drew hundreds of Catholics and Anglicans walking and praying on the streets of Bayswater.
Fr. Huynh Nguyen, St. Columba’s parish priest, said that since 2006, he and Fr. Peter Manuel of the St. Augustine have organised ecumenical Stations of Cross on Good Friday "to bear witness to our common hope". The Stations of the Cross started outside the Anglican church and completed inside the Catholic church, where Fr. Huynh Nguyen gave his blessing to Catholic and Anglican attendances.
An Anglican student, who carried the Cross at some stages, believed that in these days when cooperation in social matters is so widespread, all those who believe in God should cooperate to bear witness more clearly and faithfully to the teachings coming to from Christ through the Apostles. "By walking and praying together, we show people we confess the one faith, and keep the fraternal harmony of the family of God," he said.
Some Anglican youths are reported to attend the WYD08 in Sydney with their Catholic friends.
More pictures for the Way of Cross at Lockridge
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| A Passion play performed by Lockridge WYD group |
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| Many people burst into tears |
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| Fr. Huynh Nguyen and Fr. Peter Manuel |
“I feel so emotional both at the sufferings of Christ and at impacts that the preparation of the WYD has changed my daughter”, said a parishioner.
Explaining in details about the WYD preparation program, Fr. Vinh Dong, the parish priest, said: “WYD is not just primarily about an event or events that will take place from 15 to 20 of July. We have a preparation period before that and many programs well beyond WYD08”.
“Currently, we want the youths in the parish to know more about their faith and discover what inspires and engages them in the Church. Later, we want them to engage more fully in the life of the Church”, he added.
“The spirit of WYD has changed me.” said Maria Vu, a member in the WYD group of 42 at Lockridge, “I am inspired by other youths at school and in my parish who bear witness to our Catholic faith and our belief in Jesus. I know for sure in Sydney, I will be more aware about the universal Catholic Church in which we are all swept up in the love of Christ. I think WYD is a wonderful thing. It's something that gives life to the Church.”
Ten km away from the Good Shepherd church, Catholic and Anglican youths took turn carrying the Cross in the Way of Cross organised by both St. Columba Catholic church and St. Augustine Anglican church. The ecumenical service drew hundreds of Catholics and Anglicans walking and praying on the streets of Bayswater.
Fr. Huynh Nguyen, St. Columba’s parish priest, said that since 2006, he and Fr. Peter Manuel of the St. Augustine have organised ecumenical Stations of Cross on Good Friday "to bear witness to our common hope". The Stations of the Cross started outside the Anglican church and completed inside the Catholic church, where Fr. Huynh Nguyen gave his blessing to Catholic and Anglican attendances.
An Anglican student, who carried the Cross at some stages, believed that in these days when cooperation in social matters is so widespread, all those who believe in God should cooperate to bear witness more clearly and faithfully to the teachings coming to from Christ through the Apostles. "By walking and praying together, we show people we confess the one faith, and keep the fraternal harmony of the family of God," he said.
Some Anglican youths are reported to attend the WYD08 in Sydney with their Catholic friends.
More pictures for the Way of Cross at Lockridge