THERE may have been grey skies in Brisbane on August 19 but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds who turned out to walk city streets with the WYD Cross and Icon in Y-Walk.
The crowd gathered beside St Stephen’s Cathedral at midday, with Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Oudeman of Brisbane leading a time of prayer.
Dony Rodriguez, a student of St Thomas More College, Sunnybank, read several reflective petitions among other students, teachers, clergy, seminarians, youth groups, families and individuals.
“It’s a privilege to have the Cross and icon in our country,” the Year 11 student said as he stood in a group of his peers before the prayer time.
With raincoats and umbrellas at the ready, the McAteer family of Sandgate also headed off as part of Y-Walk.
Jodie and Eugene McAteer, of Sandgate and parents of Conor and twin girls, Ella and Tara, said they were always planning to attend – rain, hail or shine.
“We’ve come along to show our support of World Youth Day,” Irish-born Eugene said.
The McAteers are organising family members to travel from Belfast to join them as part of the WYD08 experience.
Asked what he thought of the WYD Cross, three year-old Conor said, “It’s really big!”
The Journey of the Cross and Icon (JCI) has visited schools, parishes and other entities this week.
Over the final three days of the Brisbane visit, until August 29, the JCI will be greeted in five northern deaneries before the handover to Rockhampton diocese.
