MY first experience of World Youth Day was in Krakow a couple years ago. I was amazed by the large crowd of young people who gathered from all over the world to celebrate and grow deeper in their faith. My pilgrimage group did the Stations of the Cross walk in Fatima. There, I heard Jesus calling me to be like ... Read More »
PILGRIMS who attended World Youth Day in Panama have returned cherishing the moment of sharing with hundreds of thousands of fellow pilgrims from around the globe and, for some, it proved a joyful turning point and a renewal of faith. “It was so great to see that no matter where you go you’ll always be welcomed by God’s love,” Brisbane ... Read More »
COMFORTS like coffee, WiFi and video games were out the window for World Youth Day pilgrims gathering in Panama as young Catholics are urged to concentrate on God. More than 700 Australian pilgrims descended on a church car park in Panama City to hear Australian musicians Fr Rob Galea and Simon Hyland. At the gathering, Canberra Archbishop Christopher Prowse told ... Read More »
“Life’s all about learning from new experiences,” says Gerard Lai, third-year seminarian at Holy Spirit Seminary, Banyo, who grew up in Logan, and was among those pilgrims making the trek to WYD Panama 2019. He spoke to Mark Bowling. Was this your first experience with WYD? My first WYD was Poland 2016 and I went with the St Vincent de ... Read More »
IN the heart of Panama City the beautiful Nuestra Senora del Carmen church was packed with young Australians celebrating morning prayer. Just by chance Bishop Michael McKenna of Bathurst, one of several Australian bishops in Panama for World Youth Day, passed the church and agreed to introduce prayers to about 250 visiting youth from Australia. Bishop McKenna’s message was strong ... Read More »
DEACON Liam Ryan reckons the Panama Canal is an impressive engineering feat, just as God’s creation of man is a feat of love. “It is just an amazing piece of ingenuity really,” 31-year-old Deacon Ryan said, surveying passenger vessels and giant container ships passing through the canal locks. He visited the canal during last week’s World Youth Day in Panama, ... Read More »
FROM penance with outcast prison inmates on the edge of society to an open-air Mass with a sea of young pilgrim faces in the heart of Panama City, Pope Francis has made his mark on World Youth Day. His message was consistent throughout World Youth Day in Panama – love with Christ’s love. The Pope left the country following the ... Read More »
FOUR Cairns Catholic Education women have trekked their way to Panama to celebrate World Youth Day 2019. Catholic primary school teachers Jenai Stone, Natalie Jensen and Kara Martin set off with CCE identity and outreach director Sharon O’Keeffe to engage and explore their faith. Ms O’Keeffe said in a reflection that it had been a blessed journey so far. “While ... Read More »
AS young Catholics from across Australia arrive in Central America en route to World Youth Day in Panama, some have spoken of an emotional homecoming – their families fled strife-torn Central America decades ago, and this is their first chance to return. Other pilgrims have spoken of their hopes for coming face-to-face with Pope Francis and having a faith encounter ... Read More »
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