A YOUNG doctor’s announcement that as a result of his 2011 World Youth Day pilgrimage he will begin a period of discernment for the priesthood proved a show-stopping moment at a reunion dinner at All Hallows’ School, Brisbane, last weekend.
Dr Adalbert Imperial told a delighted gathering of about 150 pilgrims from as far away as Cairns last Saturday night, he would be taking up residence at Canali House, a house of discernment, next year.
He spoke of having a “lukewarm faith diluted by the worries of day-to-day life as a young doctor” prior to his pilgrimage which included a 12-day journey with the Sacred Origins group through the Holy Land led by Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane.
“Since then,” the 26-year-old doctor said, “my whole perspective (has) changed from one which was egocentric to one which is now whole-heartedly Christ-centric”.
Dr Imperial gave his testimonial talk with another World Youth Day 2011 pilgrim Grace Rutty.
Brisbane West Deanery project officer Michael Doherty, with his perspective as an “at-home pilgrim”, completed the picture.
The 2011 World Youth Day reunion for Queensland pilgrims started with Mass in Claver Theatre celebrated by Archbishop Bathersby and two priests who attended World Youth Day in Madrid – Fr Hyacinth Udah and Capuchin Father Nestor Sinaga assisted by Deacon Des Neagle.
At a dinner afterwards, Archbishop Bathersby was presented with a framed memento of photographs taken during the five World Youth Day events he has attended since his first one in Rome in 2000.
The evening was organised by the youth ministry staff from the Faith and Life Vicariate’s Youth and Children’s Ministry – Michael Hart, Anita Hendrie, Donna Longland and Christine Anderson.
Highlights included a Spanish-themed evening meal of paella and tapas to the mellow sounds of flamenco guitar in the All Hallows’ piazza and a film presentation on the experiences of the largest contingent of Australian pilgrims to attend a World Youth Day overseas.
The latter captured joyous pilgrims dancing in the streets, the inspiring Australian gathering of about 4000 in Plaza de Deportes (sports stadium) in central Madrid, through to the climactic assembling of about two million at Cuatro Vientos airfield for the final Mass including glimpses of the violent storm during which Pope Benedict’s skull cap was blown off, and several marquees including one set up as a chapel were damaged.
Archbishop Bathersby in his homily spoke of attending an ecumenical conference in Indonesia after World Youth Day and of the inspirational faith in Jesus he witnessed.
“It was amazing to listen to Protestant Pentecostal groups, and Evangelical groups all of whom spoke passionately about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Scripture,” he said.
“They explained how Jesus had changed their lives forever.
“I was fascinated with all those people especially the young people.
“If our Roman Catholic Church needs anything it is an understanding of Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Scripture.”
The meal in the piazza which followed Mass was an enthusiastically grasped chance to catch up with familiar faces from the World Youth Day pilgrimage to Spain, already more than two months past.
Some of those from the Spanish Days group said they were reminded of the food-laden fiesta held by villagers in Pedro Abad as part of the Days in the Diocese program.
The reunion group heard testimonies from two pilgrims and an at-home pilgrim about the ongoing impact of World Youth Day in their lives.
Grace Rutty, who had been part of the Spanish Days group, said “even the challenges ended up being highlights and enriching our experience”.
She said among highlights of the pilgrimage was her Days in the Diocese experience in the ancient village of Pedro Abad, south of Madrid.
Ms Rutty spoke of a remarkable coincidence on arriving at the Closing Mass.
“When we arrived and were looking for our place, I was overjoyed to see two friends we had made in Pedro Abad,” she said.
“Luz and Andres, a young couple we got to know quite well, were in front of us amongst this crowd of nearly two million people.”
Dr Imperial then delivered news of his plans to discern the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood, to sustained applause.
In his inspiring talk he covered the Holy Land pilgrimage and the impact of the faith of many including a “Fr Kelly who passionately and deeply implored us to allow the experience to deepen our faith”.
“So where to from here?” he asked before concluding with the bombshell.
“I once read that twenty-five per cent of vocations are realised from WYD.
“And so it is with the fruits of faith, joy and perseverance that I will be living at Canali House next year to further discern whether Christ is truly calling me to the priesthood and to hopefully enter what perhaps is a sign, the Holy Spirit Seminary.”
Mr Doherty then shared his experiences as an “at-home pilgrim” in Brisbane’s Western Deanery which sent 25 pilgrims.
He was amazed to learn a fortnight after World Youth Day was over that many of the Queensland pilgrims had been unable to get into the Closing Mass.
“Yet I didn’t hear a single complaint,” he said.
“Everyone was speaking about an amazing Mass celebrated by Bishop (Joseph) Oudeman back where they were staying at college that morning.
“Somehow this captured the same feeling as the grandeur of the Papal Mass which they had been unable to attend.
“It’s a reminder that every celebration of the Eucharist is special.
“It’s also a reminder that each of the two million or so who attended the Closing Mass are still celebrating the Eucharist in unity with all of us.”
Mr Hart wrapped up the evening with figures establishing this year’s celebration had attracted the largest number ever of Australian pilgrims to an overseas World Youth Day event – nearly 4000 in all.
A presentation of images of the Queensland contingent’s journey through Spain and the Holy Land concluded the evening on a fittingly upbeat note.
