FOUR young people have organised a year-long pilgrimage to pray the Mass and meet with local parishioners from parishes across Brisbane archdiocese.
Recent high school graduate Graham Leach, and university students Sarah Norris, Edsel Parke and Lobezno Meneses are part of the team behind this project, the Brisbane Parish Pilgrimage.
The Brisbane Parish Pilgrimage will be an opportunity to journey with others, not just physically through the archdiocese, but also spiritually through Mass.
Pilgrims will visit various parishes and join in celebrating their Sunday Masses.
The group has included in their itinerary several Masses in the Eastern rites, and non-English-speaking liturgies, including Latin, Spanish and Korean.
Pilgrims will then have opportunities after Mass to meet parishioners and develop inter-parish relationships to strengthen the archdiocese.
The pilgrimage began last Sunday at St Stephen’s Cathedral.
Mr Leach, a parishioner from Darra-Jindalee, said the group wished to see Brisbane Catholics “on fire for the Mass”.
“It seems that many parishioners today in our archdiocese have simply lost the essence of what it means to partake and be present in the Mass,” Mr Leach said.
“As life around us becomes more chaotic in this ever-changing world, it is imperative that our time and energy spent at Mass is not compromised.
“The biggest problems we see in our archdiocese today are a worrying lack of reverence for our Lord through failure to spiritually prepare before Mass and to prayerfully reflect after Mass.”
Pilgrims will meet about 30 minutes before Mass to prepare for receiving the Blessed Sacrament.
“Ultimately, we hope to be witnesses to the Mass, and endeavour that our example may empower each member of each church to consider how they approach and treat going to Mass,” Mr Leach said.
Coorparoo parishioner Miss Norris did a pilgrimage to the Holy Land last year, but was interested in making a local pilgrimage in her own archdiocese.
“I was interested in the concept of visiting and experiencing the diversity of the Catholic Church, and strengthening that kind of unity you can get during a pilgrimage,” she said.
While her pilgrimage to the Holy Land made a strong impact on her, she said the Brisbane Parish Pilgrimage was about finding Jesus in everyday life.
“I think even after the Brisbane Parish Pilgrimage has ended, it will be good to continue finding the reverence around Brisbane,” she said.
In January, pilgrims will visit St Mary’s, South Brisbane; Villa Maria and St Patrick’s, Fortitude Valley.
