By Vincent Haber
“The Lord is calling you to be with him in Poland, and He is preparing to send you out on mission.”
This was the message of Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB at the 2016 Commissioning Mass for the 2016 World Youth Day pilgrims on Sunday, 3 July, at a packed St Mary’s Cathedral.
Archbishop Costelloe was joined by Redemptoris Mater Seminary Vice Rector, Fr Antonio Scala and Spiritual Director Fr Joe Pelle as concelebrants for the occasion, along with Deacon Patrick Moore assisting.
Thousands of young people from across Australia – including a strong 180-plus Western Australians – will later this month journey to Krakow, Poland, for the largest Catholic youth gathering on record that is known as World Youth Day.
Archbishop Costelloe and Auxiliary Bishop Sproxton will this weekend join a group of 35 young people from Perth in making the WYD journey, commencing their trip through Rome and Turin, before meeting another 45 pilgrims from Perth to continue on their pilgrimage in Warsaw, then to Krakow for the main event.
Archbishop Costelloe likened the pilgrims to the 72 chosen, as proclaimed in the Gospel of Luke 10.
“It is a reminder to us that the privilege and the task of carrying Jesus to the people of our own time and place doesn’t just belong to the chosen few. He calls us all,” the Archbishop said.
He then went on to encourage the pilgrims present to not close themselves into their own comfortable worlds, but rather to be ready to carry what Pope Francis would call ‘the joy of the Gospel’ to everyone they meet, especially during their pilgrimage and when they return home.
“We should carry it in our minds, carry it in our hearts, carry it on our faces,” he said.
Director of Catholic Youth Ministry, Anita Parker, explained that, for many of the pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Perth, this WYD experience will be the first time they are attending an event of such magnitude and it is certainly an opportunity to go on mission and grow in faith.
“This is an exciting opportunity to see so many young adults from across our Archdiocese embarking on this pilgrimage of Mercy in the Jubilee Year,” Ms Parker said.
“Each pilgrim has their own story as to why they are travelling to Krakow and how they imagine their faith will grow from this pilgrimage.”
“We have prepared the young people to be open to new experiences, new cultures and to engage with the wider global Catholic Church. Many are excited to hear from Pope Francis during the main week at WYD.”
The young people have many communities, schools, parishes and groups who have helped support them in fundraising, prayer and much more. There will also be an opportunity for those communities and anyone in Perth to connect with the WYD event in two ways. The local event in Northbridge Piazza on 31 July from 1pm to 3pm is a free event screening some highlights from WYD, with local Polish dancers and local musicians.
Live telecasts of WYD will also be broadcast throughout the week from www.xt3.com/live.