The most senior figure in the long-suffering and persecuted Catholic Church in Sudan will visit Perth from July 22-24, Catholic Mission Director Francis Leong announced last week.
Cardinal Gabriel Sufeir Wako of Khartoum will visit Sudanese Catholics in Perth and participate in an interfaith meeting during his brief visit.
Cardinal Wako will be well-known to Perth Catholics in general after a profile and interview in The Record several years ago highlighting the plight of the Church in his country.
Many readers of The Record also purchased copies of his book of poetry, much of which focused on the suffering of his people and the Church there.
On Tuesday July 22 Cardinal Wako will visit the Herb Graham Recreation Centre in Mirrabooka for a pastoral program with the Perth Sudanese Community and an interfaith meeting.
The next day he will visit Majella Catholic Primary School in Balga, before meeting with Archbishop Barry Hickey and, later that day, school staff at the Catholic Education office of WA in Leederville.
At the CEO Cardinal Wako will recite some of his poetry.
That evening he will celebrate Mass at the St Josephine Bakhita Centre in Chipala Rd, Westminster.
The following day he will be available to meet media representatives when he holds a press conference at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Highgate.
Further information on the visit is available from Mr Leong on (08) 9422 7933 or via cm@perthcatholic.org.au.