Tag Archives: Pilgrimage

Pilgrims Walk in the Footsteps of the Saints

Siena_200Over the past few days, Aussie pilgrims moved to ‘Days in the Diocese’ hosted by Polish parishes and families across the country. Meanwhile, other diocesan and religious groups continued their pre-World Youth Day pilgrimages in Europe before arriving into Krakow over the weekend.

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle are currently on pilgrimage in Italy following in the footsteps of the Saints from Milan to Padua, Assisi to Cascia; the resting place of St Rita, Saint of the Impossible.

There are 71 pilgrims journeying to World Youth Day from the diocese. Blogging about the experience, Joanne Isaac wrote, ‘On Sunday morning we visited the Basilica of St Anthony in Padua (Padova). In Italy, St Anthony is simply known as Il Santo (The Saint) as he is the only one to be canonised less than a year after his death in 1231. He turned his back on wealth to live in simplicity and dedicate his life to God. He was a great preacher and a Doctor of the Church.

Pilgrims from the Maitland-Newcastle Diocesan Group.

Pilgrims from the Maitland-Newcastle WYD Pilgrimage.

The Basilica belongs to the Vatican so, as our tour guide Sal pointed out, “You’ll have one foot in Italy and one foot in the Vatican”. Every year 4.5 million people visit the church to venerate the relics of St Anthony – his incorrupt tongue, his jawbone and his vocal apparatus.’ Continue reading →

What is this “Year of Grace”?

By Fr Peter Brock

You’ll have seen Archbishop Wilson’s Letter, on behalf of the Australian Bishops, announcing the Year of Grace [www.yearofgrace.catholic.com.au]
The Bishops have chosen, as a sort of sub-heading, a phrase from Pope John Paul II’s Novo Millennio Ineunte: “starting afresh from Christ”.
So that might be the four-word answer to the question.
At the meeting of our National Planning Team, we brainstormed a slightly longer version:
“Listening to the wisdom of God, the Year of Grace calls us to:
· encounter Jesus Christ in prayer
· seek healing and renewal through repentance
· grow as disciples by cultivating the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that the Church in Australia will continue to be transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection”. Continue reading →

HOMILY FOR THE MASS AT ST MARY MAJOR’S BASILICA, ROME AD LIMINA 2011 – 13 OCTOBER 2011

By Archbishop John Bathersby, Archbishop of Brisbane

My brothers and sisters it is a tremendous privilege to be present in this marvellous Basilica of St Mary Major. It brings us together, and brings together also Jesus, Son of God and Saviour, and His mother Mary, Our Lady, and mother of the Church. Mary has already played significant roles in all of our lives. I grew up in Stanthorpe in the 1940s, taught by the Sisters of Mercy who constantly encouraged me to pray for a vocation to priesthood. I tried to do so, but changed my mind when I thought the Air Force was a more interesting career, only to realise that the Sisters had kept on praying for me through the power of Mary, mother of Jesus. For me Mary seemed like a furnace of prayer and I turned to her whenever I needed support for myself, or needed support assist others who asked for my prayers. Continue reading →