SEVERAL Queensland schools will be busy over these holidays acting as host communities for overseas pilgrims ahead of the Pope’s visit to Sydney in July.
Students and their families from Siena College, at Sippy Downs on the Sunshine Coast; St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace; and Marymount College, at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast among others, will lay out the welcome mat to visitors arriving in preparation for the World Youth Day event in Sydney.
International pilgrims, aged between 16 and 35, will be visiting the Townsville, Toowoomba and Brisbane dioceses during the “Days in the Diocese” program held between July 10-14.
The Days in the Diocese program allows overseas pilgrims to experience the Catholic Church in a country different to their own, as well as enjoy some of our Queensland lifestyle.
Siena College campus minister Donna McDade said her students were closely watching the calendar until the day they welcome 46 students from their sister school of St Thomas’ in Lautoka, Fiji.
“It’s a busy schedule with an activities day and barbecue on Friday, a trip to Brisbane for the ‘Heart of the City’ event on Saturday, followed by a ‘family day’ where the hosts take our guests somewhere on the coast for some quality time.
“After evening Mass at Sippy Downs on the Sunday we all climb on the bus and head down to Sydney for what should be an amazing week,” she said.
Students from St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, already strong on social justice through weekly ministry to the homeless in the Eddie’s (Edmund Rice) van, will be hosting young people they have sponsored to Australia from East Timor.
Dean of mission Conor Finn said students were excited by the idea of the upcoming cultural exchange.
“The point of these social initiatives is to discover common ground, so although in many ways the Timorese are poor in material standards, they’re rich in their faith and community connections.
“For our students to see this and engage with it is a wonderful opportunity. There is a lot of good that comes from finding common ground and experiencing the presence of God in one another.”
A strong element of attraction in the Queensland lifestyle is the scenic coastlines.
Marymount College is partnering with Burleigh Heads parish to ensure 230 guests from New Caledonia enjoy the beach and local nature.
Assistant to the principal for pastoral care at Marymount Phil Cooper said their guests would enjoy some unique experiences including a trip to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and engaging with the local indigenous community and surf lifesavers.
“World Youth Day has been a long time in process but certainly there is a real energy starting to happen right now, both with our own preparations and the chance to meet these people from a different culture.
“A lot of the New Caledonians haven’t left their island before, so our students are really abuzz and looking forward to being involved with them,” he said.
