CATHOLICS in Western Australia have flocked to see the relics of St Therese of Lisieux which began their national tour in Perth on January 31.
Already tens of thousands of people have viewed the relics. Response has been ‘quite extraordinary’, said Perth archdiocesan media officer Hugh Ryan.
The relics were brought with a police escort from Perth airport to the Discalced Carmelite parish church in suburban Morley.
At 1am, 900 people carrying candles turned out with Archbishop Barry Hickey of Perth to welcome the reliquary.
Uniformed soldiers carried it into the parish car park, where Archbishop Hickey formally welcomed the relics to Australia.
They were then taken into the church for Mass and the start of continuous devotions.
Discalced Carmelite Australian regional vicar, Fr Greg Homeming, said people were in the church around the clock.
‘Large numbers arrived early on the Friday and Saturday mornings,’ he said. ‘Mass attendances grew, with 1500 at each, in a church designed to seat 700. Catholics and non-Catholics prayed together.’
When the relics moved to St Mary’s Cathedral in Perth on February 3, big crowds again welcomed them and stayed to pray.
Fr Homeming and Mr Ryan said at both Morley and the cathedral big numbers attended Reconciliation, priests ministering continuously to cope.
Fr Homeming said it was known that some people had returned to the sacraments after as long as 30 years away.
The relics have been in Bunbury since Thursday and will be in Adelaide from February 11-14.
They will arrive in Brisbane on April 24, remaining until May 1, when they will leave Australia to continue a world tour.
* See this week’s print edition of The Catholic Leader for a special centrespread and guide to the tour of St Therese’s relics.
